Development of mesenchymal stem cell-loaded electrospun 12-PLGA/graphene oxide nanofiber scaffolds incorporating BMP-2 and VEGF for bone regeneration in dental applications

This study investigates the synergistic effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and electrospun nanofiber scaffolds for bone regeneration in endodontics. Biodegradable electrospun nanofiber scaffolds of 12% poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) incorporating 1.5% graphene oxide (GO) were developed with fiber diameters of 880–928 nm to mimic the extracellular matrix. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were seeded onto scaffolds functionalized with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (150 ng/mL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (75 ng/mL) designed to promote osteogenesis and angiogenesis by incorporating BMP-2 and VEGF. Scaffold characterization revealed enhanced hydrophilicity with water contact angle decreasing from 120.7 ± 2.6° (PLGA) to 102.1 ± 3.1° (PLGA/GO/BMP-2/VEGF), mechanical properties with Young's modulus of 75–126 MPa, and high adsorption capacity (72% for hydrocortisone, >90% for trans-resveratrol). Cell viability assays demonstrated >90% DPSC survival at day 10 on PLGA/GO/BMP-2/VEGF scaffolds compared to ~70% on PLGA controls. The scaffolds maintained structural integrity with interconnected porosity after 22 days of culture. SEM analysis confirmed extensive cellular infiltration and spreading throughout the 3D scaffold structure. These results demonstrate that MSC-loaded, BMP-2/VEGF-functionalized nanofibrous scaffolds with optimized physicochemical properties offer significant quantitative improvements for bone regeneration in dentistry. • MSCs & nanofiber scaffolds synergize for bone regeneration. • PLGA/GO scaffolds mimic ECM, enhance cell growth & differentiation. • BMP-2/VEGF loading boosts osteogenesis & angiogenesis in dental apps. • High viability & proliferation of MSCs on scaffolds shown. • Nanostructured scaffolds promise improved dental bone repair.