Engineered Periosteum Enhancing Nerve-Vascular-Bone Coupling For Bone Repair

This study aims to develop a fusion peptide-engineered biomimetic periosteum that enhances nerve-vascular-bone coupling to accelerate bone repair in severe Class II/III malocclusions. The biomimetic periosteum was fabricated via electrospinning using polycaprolactone (PCL) and fusion peptide solution. Its structural and physicochemical properties were analyzed via SEM, XRD, mechanical testing, and liquid chromatography. Cytocompatibility and cell adhesion were assessed using CCK-8 and phalloidin staining, while biological effects were evaluated via co-culture model, including RT-qPCR, ALP and alizarin red staining, and immunofluorescence. In vivo, a critical-size mandibular defect model in male 8-week-old SD rats was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee and used to assess therapeutic efficacy. The biomimetic periosteum exhibited a dense porous fibrous network, with fusion peptide enhancing hydrophilicity and enabling sustained release over 32 days, despite slight reductions in mechanical properties. In vitro, it demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, promoted vascular and neural regeneration-related gene expression, and significantly enhanced BMSC osteogenic differentiation. In vivo, it markedly accelerated bone, nerve, and vascular regeneration within and around the defect site, underscoring its therapeutic potential. This study successfully developed a fusion peptide-engineered biomimetic periosteum with enhanced hydrophilicity, excellent biocompatibility, and the ability to reconstruct the nerve-vascular-bone network. These findings highlight its potential as a promising strategy for craniomaxillofacial defect repair, offering a novel and clinically relevant approach to bone regeneration.