Study on 3D printed MXene-berberine-integrated scaffold for photo-activated antibacterial activity and bone regeneration

Abstract

The repair of mandibular defects is a challenging clinical problem, and associated infections often hinder the treatment, leading to failure in bone regeneration. Herein, a multifunctional platform is designed against the shortages of existing therapies for infected bone deficiency. 2D Ti₃C₂ MXene and berberine (BBR) are effectively loaded into 3D printing biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds. The prepared composite scaffolds take the feature of the excellent photothermal capacity of Ti₃C₂ as an antibacterial, mediating NIR-responsive BBR release under laser stimuli. Meanwhile, the sustained release of BBR enhances its antibacterial effect and further accelerates the bone healing process. Importantly, the integration of Ti₃C₂ improves the mechanical properties of the 3D scaffolds, which are beneficial for new bone formation. Their remarkable biomedical performances <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> present the outstanding antibacterial and osteogenic properties of the Ti₃C₂-BBR functionalized BCP scaffolds. The synergistic therapy makes it highly promising for repairing infected bone defects and provides insights into a wide range of applications of 2D nanosheets in biomedicine.