Remineralization of dentin induced by a compound of polyamide-amine and chlorhexidine in a resin dentin bonding microenvironment

Evaluation of 'surgery-friendly' bone scaffold characteristics: 3D printed ductile BG/PCL scaffold with high inorganic content to repair critical bone defects

The repair of irregular and complex critical bone defects remains a challenge in clinical practice. The application of 3D-printed bioceramics particle/polymer composite scaffolds in bone tissue engineering has been widely studied. At present, the inorganic particle content of the composite scaffolds is generally low, resulting in poor osteogenic activity. However, scaffold with high inorganic content are highly brittle, difficult to operate during surgery, and cannot be in close contact with surrounding bones. Therefore, it is of great significance to design a 'surgery-friendly' scaffold with high bioceramic content and good ductility. In this study, we used the solvent method to add high concentration (wt% 70%) bioglass (BG) into polycaprolactone (PCL), and polyethylene glycol was used as plasticizer to prepare 70% BG/PCL composite scaffolds with high ductility using 3D printing technology.In vitroexperiments showed that the scaffold had good mechanical properties: easy extension, easy folding and strong compressive resistance. It also showed good performance in biocompatibility and osteogenic activity. It was further observed that compared with pure BG or PCL implantation, the scaffold with higher BG content could have more new bone tissue appeared after 12 weeks. All these results indicate that 3D-printed 70% BG/PCL scaffolds have great potential for personalized repair of bone defects.

Effect of chlorhexidine-loaded poly(amido amine) dendrimer on matrix metalloproteinase activities and remineralization in etched human dentin in vitro

To investigate the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX)-loaded carboxyl-terminated poly (amido amine) dendrimer (CHX-PAMAM-COOH) on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities and remineralization in human dentin, CHX-PAMAM-COOH was prepared and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The inhibitory effects of CHX, PAMAM-COOH, and CHX-PAMAM-COOH on soluble recombinant human matrix metalloproteinase (rhMMP-2) and dentin-bound endogenous MMP activity were measured using an MMP Activity Assay Kit. In situ zymography was performed to evaluate the gelatinase activity in dentin pretreated with CHX, PAMAM-COOH, and CHX-PAMAM-COOH. The remineralization of etched dentin pretreated with CHX, PAMAM-COOH, and CHX-PAMAM-COOH was evaluated by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS) after incubation in artificial saliva for 14 days. The results of the rhMMP-2 activity assay showed that the MMP-2 activity in the CHX-PAMAM-COOH group and the CHX group decreased significantly to 5.58 ± 0.85% (P < 0.05) and 4.86 ± 1.12% (P < 0.05), respectively, but that in the PAMAM-COOH group increased significantly to 213.38 ± 0.11% (P < 0.05). The results of total MMP activity and in situ zymography showed a significant reduction in endogenous gelatinase activity in dentin in the CHX-PAMAM-COOH group and the CHX group. The SEM and EDS results showed that rod-like crystals were formed on the etched dentin surface in the PAMAM-COOH group and the CHX-PAMAM-COOH group, and their Ca/P ratios were 1.73 and 1.71, respectively. In conclusion, CHX-PAMAM-COOH can inhibit dentin-bound endogenous MMPs and induce remineralization in etched dentin simultaneously. However, it is important to note that the catalytic role of PAMAM dendrimers may have an undesired excitatory effect on MMP activity, which cannot be ignored if PAMAM dendrimers were used alone in the oral environment.