A piezoelectrically driven hierarchical biomimetic architecture promotes diabetic bone defect repair by bidirectionally regulating HIF-1α to restore immunometabolic-vascular homeostasis
Diabetic bone defects are difficult to repair because chronic hyperglycemia disrupts local immunometabolic and vascular homeostasis, leading to persistent inflammation, poor angiogenesis, and impaired osteogenesis. Here we report a piezoelectrically driven hierarchical biomimetic architecture that promotes diabetic bone defect repair through spatially bidirectional regulation of HIF-1α. The system comprises an ultrasound-responsive PLLA/ZnO/DFO biomimetic periosteum and a conductive GelMA/MXene/Ce-MOF@Arg defect-filling hydrogel. Under ultrasound stimulation, the upper layer generates piezoelectric microcurrents and releases deferoxamine, which is associated with activation of endothelial HIF-1α/VEGF signaling and angiogenic responses, whereas the lower layer relays electrical cues into the defect core and is associated with reduced macrophage HIF-1α expression and glycolytic activity in parallel with arginine delivery and Ce-MOF nanozyme-mediated redox regulation. This design promotes recovery toward a more favorable immunometabolic-vascular state by coupling superficial pro-angiogenic activation with deep anti-inflammatory metabolic remodeling. The scaffold shows favorable piezoelectric, conductive, mechanical, degradation, and release properties, promotes endothelial migration, drives macrophage polarization toward a reparative phenotype, enhances osteogenic-angiogenic coupling, and substantially accelerates critical-sized calvarial defect healing in diabetic rats. Our findings provide an electroactive and spatially coordinated strategy for diabetic bone regeneration.
Authors
- Xiaoxiao Feng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3399-6030)
- 郑龙坡
- Nanning Lv (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1816-958X)
- Haifu Sun
- Xiaofan Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1628-9649)
- Xuran Guo
- Ying Hu
- He Dong
- Hongye Li
- Xinhui Wu
- Xieping Dong
- Jing Shi
- Mingming Liu
Institutions
- Tongji University (CN)
- Nanchang University (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College (CN)
- Lianyungang Oriental Hospital (CN)
- Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (CN)
- Tongren Hospital (CN)
- The First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang (CN)
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Mendel University in Brno (CZ)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Nanobiotechnology
- Published
- 2026-09-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-026-05027-4
- Primary Topic
- 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation