Three-dimensional silk fibroin-gelatin/chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid-aloe vera scaffold supports in vitro chondrogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and reduces inflammatory effect

A limited self-healing ability of injured articular cartilage results in osteoarthritis and a joint dysfunction afterward. Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising approach to increase the treatment efficiency. Moreover, host response to implanted biomaterial has been increasingly concerned. Thus, this study aimed to establish three-dimensional (3D) scaffold that could support cartilage tissue engineering and reduce inflammatory. The various ratios of silk fibroin (SF), gelatin (G), chondroitin sulfate (C), hyaluronic acid (H), and aloe vera (A) were used to fabricate 3D scaffolds by lyophilization, designated as SF, SF-A, SF-gelatin/chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid (GCH)-A-411, and SF-GCH-A-111. The physical and biological characteristics of the scaffolds were investigated. All scaffolds possessed interconnected porous structures, which the highest pore size of 209 μm was found in SF and SF-GCH-A-411 scaffolds. Moreover, high porosity, high water uptake, and good mechanical strength were observed in the SF-GCH-A-411 scaffold. The SF, SF-A, and SF-GCH-A-411 scaffolds could retain their structures up to 21 days, while SF-GCH-A-111 was rapidly degraded. The proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was significantly higher in SF-A and SF-GCH-A-411 than in the SF scaffold. Besides, the SF-A and SF-GCH-A-411 revealed significantly lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1 beta than the SF scaffold, suggesting the beneficial role of aloe vera in anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, the SF-GCH-A-411 scaffold could support chondrogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs. In conclusion, based on its superior physical and biological characteristics that support chondrogenesis of BM-MSCs, the SF-GCH-A-411 scaffold is recommended for cartilage tissue engineering.