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 1 week. However, strong expression of aggrecan was observed at 2 weeks regardless of the contents of DBP. Scaffolds showed a trend of increasing type II and I collagen at 2 weeks. 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.
Keywords: demineralized bone particle; intervertebral disc; mesenchymal stem cells; poly(lactide-co-glycolide); proliferation.