Ultrasound-activated piezoelectric Silk-PVDF hydrogel reprograms the osteoimmune microenvironment via NRF2 signaling for accelerated bone regeneration.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Bone defects pose significant clinical challenges due to the limited regenerative capacity of adult bone and the shortcomings of existing biomaterials, which lack dynamic electromechanical signaling crucial for repair. Here, we present an injectable, ultrasound-responsive piezoelectric hydrogel engineered to synergize silk fibroin's (SF) structural adaptability with polyvinylidene fluoride's (PVDF) bioelectrical activity. Methacrylated silk fibroin (SM) enables rapid UV-triggered crosslinking via a cost-effective photoinitiator system, while electrospun PVDF nanofibers, cryosectioned into microscale units, confer dynamic piezoelectric responsiveness. Under ultrasound stimulation, PVDF generates localized electrical cues that transiently elevate reactive oxygen species (ROS), activating the NRF2 antioxidant pathway to resolve oxidative stress, which polarizes macrophages toward pro-regenerative M2 phenotypes, enhances osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) and promotes angiogenesis in vitro . Additionally, it was also confirmed that implantation of critical-sized femoral defects in rats could facilitate bone regeneration by micro-CT and histological analysis in vivo. This platform transcends beyond passive scaffolding by recapitulating bone's electromechanical-immune axis offers a paradigm shift toward smart biomaterials for complex skeletal

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.