Volume 112, Issue 7 pp. 1107-1123
RESEARCH ARTICLE

3D printing of gellan-dextran methacrylate IPNs in glycerol and their bioadhesion by RGD derivatives

Luca Paoletti

Luca Paoletti

Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

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Francesco Baschieri

Francesco Baschieri

Institute of Pathophysiology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

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Claudia Migliorini

Claudia Migliorini

Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

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Chiara Di Meo

Chiara Di Meo

Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

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Olivier Monasson

Olivier Monasson

CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, BioCIS, Cergy-Pontoise, France

Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, BioCIS, Châtenay-Malabry, France

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Elisa Peroni

Elisa Peroni

CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, BioCIS, Cergy-Pontoise, France

Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, BioCIS, Châtenay-Malabry, France

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Pietro Matricardi

Corresponding Author

Pietro Matricardi

Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Correspondence

Pietro Matricardi, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 03 March 2024

Abstract

The ever-growing need for new tissue and organ replacement approaches paved the way for tissue engineering. Successful tissue regeneration requires an appropriate scaffold, which allows cell adhesion and provides mechanical support during tissue repair. In this light, an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) system based on biocompatible polysaccharides, dextran (Dex) and gellan (Ge), was designed and proposed as a surface that facilitates cell adhesion in tissue engineering applications. The new matrix was developed in glycerol, an unconventional solvent, before the chemical functionalization of the polymer backbone, which provides the system with enhanced properties, such as increased stiffness and bioadhesiveness. Dex was modified introducing methacrylic groups, which are known to be sensitive to UV light. At the same time, Ge was functionalized with RGD moieties, known as promoters for cell adhesion. The printability of the systems was evaluated by exploiting the ability of glycerol to act as a co-initiator in the process, speeding up the kinetics of crosslinking. Following semi-IPNs formation, the solvent was removed by extensive solvent exchange with HEPES and CaCl2, leading to conversion into IPNs due to the ionic gelation of Ge chains. Mechanical properties were investigated and IPNs ability to promote osteoblasts adhesion was evaluated on thin-layer, 3D-printed disk films. Our results show a significant increase in adhesion on hydrogels decorated with RGD moieties, where osteoblasts adopted the spindle-shaped morphology typical of adherent mesenchymal cells. Our findings support the use of RGD-decorated Ge/Dex IPNs as new matrices able to support and facilitate cell adhesion in the perspective of bone tissue regeneration.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available upon request to the corresponding author.

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