Since bone disorders have globally increased, tissue engineering could provide a solution by generating fully functional bone tissues. The most powerful aspect of bone tissue engineering is biomaterials. The focus of this study was the development of PCL nanofibers loaded with 4% β-carotene (βC) and PLGA nanofibers loaded with 2% βC as suitable bioactive scaffolds able to support the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). βC, a vitamin A progenitor, provided the potential for stimulating osteoblast differentiation. The electrospun PLGA and PCL nanofibers containing βC were treated by cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) at different times. These modified scaffolds were characterized by SEM to find the optimal time for CAP treatment. FTIR and contact angle measurements were used to detect and confirm surface chemical changes. Optimal CAP-treated scaffolds were seeded by MSCs and incubated for 21 days. The growth and proliferation of MSCs were analyzed by MTT assay in the early stages (up to 72 hours). The results confirmed the biocompatibility of the scaffolds. Our in-vitro study showed that the cell attachment, proliferation, and calcium deposition, as well as, the expression of RUNX2, SOX9, and osteonectin genes bone-specific markers during a 21-day culture were enhanced on CAP-treated PLGA/βC2% and PCL/βC4% nanofibers without an external bone differential agent. These advanced scaffolds can be applied in bone tissue engineering.

由于骨骼疾病在全球范围内增加，组织工程可以通过生成功能齐全的骨组织来提供解决方案。骨组织工程最强大的方面是生物材料。本研究的重点是开发负载 4% β-胡萝卜素 (βC) 的 PCL 纳米纤维和负载 2% βC 的 PLGA 纳米纤维作为合适的生物活性支架，能够支持人骨髓间充质干细胞 (MSCs) 的成骨分化。βC 是一种维生素 A 祖细胞，具有刺激成骨细胞分化的潜力。用冷大气等离子体（CAP）在不同时间处理含有βC的电纺PLGA和PCL纳米纤维。这些改良的支架通过 SEM 进行表征，以找到 CAP 治疗的最佳时间。FTIR 和接触角测量用于检测和确认表面化学变化。最佳 CAP 处理的支架由 MSC 接种并孵育 21 天。在早期（最多 72 小时）通过 MTT 法分析 MSC 的生长和增殖。结果证实了支架的生物相容性。我们的体外研究表明，CAP 处理的 PLGA/βC2% 在 21 天的培养过程中，细胞附着、增殖和钙沉积，以及 RUNX2、SOX9和骨连接素基因骨特异性标志物的表达得到增强和 PCL/βC4% 纳米纤维，没有外部骨分化剂。这些先进的支架可应用于骨组织工程。