(413d) Enhancing Osteogenesis and Modulating Macrophage Polarization with Innovative Designer Micro-/Nanocrumpled Mxene Multilayer Coatings

The success of biomaterial implants heavily relies on efficient tissue regeneration and immune system reactions. Despite the recognized interaction between synthetic materials and biological organisms, the influence of surface textures on the osteoimmune microenvironment—specifically how they affect tissue and immune cells, and their dynamic interactions—is not fully understood. This study aims to fill that knowledge gap by exploring the effects of surface design on bone growth and immune regulation. We formed MXene/hydroxyapatite (HAP) surfaces with precise nano- to microscale 2.5D topographical features via a specialized bottom-up patterning technique. These textured surfaces were used to examine the reactions of osteoblast precursor cells and the direction of macrophage development. Our findings reveal that surfaces with MXene/HAP coatings and microscale wrinkled textures greatly promote bone cell activity and encourage macrophages to adopt a pro-repair M2 phenotype: enhanced cell spread, growth, and maturation of osteoblast precursors were observed, as well as an inclination towards an anti-inflammatory macrophage type. The results suggest a combined benefit of the textured structure and the chemical properties of the MXene/HAP coatings in cultivating a positive osteoimmune microenvironment. This investigation presents groundbreaking evidence of employing crumpled MXene/HAP multi-layer coatings to simultaneously advance bone formation and immune modulation, aiming to improve implant to bone integration. The enhanced capability to precisely tune these surfaces, along with a simple and scalable production method, positions them for broad use in biomedical applications. This work underscores the capacity of these multi-layer topographical coatings to enhance the clinical outcome and destiny of implants by managing the host's material interface response.

Reference

1. Asadi Tokmedash M, Min J*, Designer Micro-/Nanocrumpled MXene Multilayer Coatings Accelerate Osteogenesis and Regulate Macrophage Polarization, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c18158