Effect of demineralized bone particle/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffolds on the attachment and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of demineralized bone particle/ poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (DBP/PLGA) scaffolds on the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). DBP/PLGA hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by solvent casting/salt-leaching with DBP contents of 0, 20, 40, and 80 wt%. MSCs were seeded on the DBP/PLGA scaffolds and then evaluated by a series of analytical process: SEM, MTT, RT-PCR, and in vivo histological assay. As the DBP contents increased, the cell attachment behavior and cell viability also increased. A DBP content of 80 wt% marked the best water absorption performance and the highest cell viability. Gene expression of aggrecan on DBP/PLGA scaffolds tended to increase, whereas that on PLGA scaffolds was decreased at 1week. However, strong expression of aggrecan was observed at 2weeks regardless of the contents of DBP. Scaffolds showed a trend of increasing type II and I collagen at 2weeks. The results showed that MSCs on DBP/PLGA scaffolds showed more efficient cell proliferation and tissue formation in the presence of tissue-inductive stimuli. Suitable biomaterials could be more conducive to proliferation of MSCs. These results suggest that the DBP/PLGA scaffolds are a feasible biomaterial for intervertebral disc regeneration.