AccScience Publishing / IJB / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/IJB026320347
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Early Access

Antimicrobial osteogenic 3D-printed scaffolds driven by photothermal energy for repairing cranial defects in diabetes

Ye Wang1,2 Jiao Hu2 Zonghe Xu1 Qingxia Fang1,3 Bixia Li1 Lin Zhou1,3* Dong Wu1,3*
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1 School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025 , China
2 Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan) of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518118 , China
3 Research Center of Dental and Craniofacial Implants, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025 , China
Received: 7 August 2026 | Revised: 24 August 2026 | Accepted: 28 August 2026 | Published online: 28 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/ )
Abstract

Diabetes-related bone defects are severely inhibited by high-glucose-induced chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis impairment, resulting in limited repair efficacy of conventional scaffolds in this complex microenvironment. This study constructed a 3D-printed DexMA/P-HAP/Cu₂O@MXene composite scaffold that integrates photothermal sterilization, osteogenic induction, and immunomodulatory functions. The scaffold utilizes methacrylated dextran (DexMA) as a framework to ensure formability and mechanical properties; apatite modified with dopamine (P-HAP) enhances the bioactivity of the inorganic phase; and the Cu₂O@MXene nanocomposite imparts photothermal response and Cu₂⁺ release capabilities, enabling programmable temperature control (50°C for sterilization and 41°C for osteogenic induction) under near-infrared excitation and local microenvironmental regulation. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the scaffold effectively scavenged ROS, inhibited inflammatory cytokine expression, promoted M2 macrophage polarization, and synergistically promoted angiogenesis and bone remodeling by activating CD31/VEGF and Runx2 signaling pathways. This study proposed an intelligent scaffold strategy with spatial-temporal response characteristics and multi-dimensional mechanism integration capabilities, providing a new solution for the efficient regenerative repair of complex bone defects in diabetes.

Keywords
Diabetic bone defect
3D printing scaffold
Osteogenesis
Cu₂O@MXene
Runx2 pathway
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing