Platelet-rich plasma incorporated electrospun PVA-chitosan-HA nanofibers accelerates osteogenic differentiation and bone reconstruction

Biologically active materials and polymeric materials used in tissue engineering have been one of the most attractive research areas in the past decades, especially the use of easily accessible materials from the patients that reduces or eliminates any patient's immune response. In this study, electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by using polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA), chitosan and hydroxyapatite (HA) polymers and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a bioactive substance isolated from human blood. Fabricated scaffold's structure and cytotoxicity were evaluated using scanning electron microscope and MTT assays. Scaffolds osteoinductivity was investigated by osteogenic differentiation of the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the in vitro level and then its osteoconductivity was examined by implanting at the critical-sized rat calvarial defect. The in vitro results showed that scaffolds have a good structure and good biocompatibility. Alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium content and gene expression assays were also demonstrated that their highest amount was detected in MSCs-seeded PVA-chitosan-HA(PRP) scaffold. For this reason, this scaffold alone and along with the MSCs was implanted to the animal defects. The in vivo results demonstrated that in the animals implanted with PVA-chitosan-HA(PRP), the defect was repaired to a good extent, but in those animals that received MSCs-seeded PVA-chitosan-HA(PRP), the defects was almost filled. It can be concluded that, PVA-chitosan-HA(PRP) alone or when stem cells cultured on them, has a great potential to use as an effective bone implant. •ECM stimulator scaffolds were fabricated by PVA, chitosan and hydroxyapatite and PRP.•Biocompatibility, osteo-inductivity and -conductivity of scaffolds were evaluated.•MSCs applied for in vitro study critical-sized rat calvarial defect for in vivo study.•SEM, MTT, ALP activity, calcium content, gene expression assay were in in vitro.•The results confirmed the PVA-chitosan-HA(PRP) can be a bone implant in future.