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RESEARCH ARTICLE

TGP-377 nanoparticle-loaded methacrylated hyaluronic acid hydrogel-infused poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/β-tricalcium phosphate composite scaffold enhances early bone repair through angiogenesis-related responses

Jie Sun1† ,  Cao Chen1† ,  Chen Yao1† ,  Minrui Ji2 ,  Ruize Wei3 ,  Bo Zhang1 ,  Zeping Gui4* ,  Yafeng Zhang1*
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1 Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
2 Hand Surgery Research Center, Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
3 Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
4 Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
IJB, 026260277 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJB026260277
Received: 28 June 2026 | Revised: 30 July 2026 | Accepted: 5 August 2026 | Published online: 5 August 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Bone defects stemming from trauma, infection, osteoporosis, tumor resection, and congenital or metabolic bone diseases often demand effective strategies for repair. Current bone graft options, such as autologous or allogeneic bone, face limitations related to donor morbidity, immune rejection, and poor osseointegration. Bone tissue engineering, which integrates biocompatibility, osteogenic capacity, and angiogenic potential, therefore offers a promising approach for bone defect repair. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of a novel composite scaffold, the TGP-377 nanoparticle-loaded methacrylated hyaluronic acid hydrogel-infused poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/β-tricalcium phosphate (THPT) scaffold, in supporting early bone repair and angiogenesis-related responses. The scaffold was designed to provide sustained local release of TGP-377 and to support concurrent osteogenic and angiogenesis-related responses. In vitro, TGP-377 exhibited pronounced osteogenic and angiogenic effects, boosting MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, alongside human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation and migration. In a rabbit femoral defect model, THPT increased mineralized tissue-related micro-computed tomography indices and osteogenic and angiogenesis-related marker expression at four weeks. Moreover, the scaffold demonstrated favorable biocompatibility, with no pathological changes observed in major organs. These findings support the use of THPT as a local bioactive scaffold for early bone-defect repair.

Keywords
Bone defect repair
TGP-377
Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold
Osteogenesis
Angiogenesis
Funding
This study was supported by the Research Project of Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission (M2021063), Jiangsu Provincial Research Hospital (YJXYY202204-YSB10), and the Science and Technology Project of Nantong City (grant number: MSZ2025139).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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