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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Low-concentration GOQD-functionalized Ti6Al4V scaffolds enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis for vascularized bone regeneration

Duoling Xu1,2† ,  Song Yang3† ,  Chao Wang4† ,  Shujun Li5 ,  Wentao Hou5 ,  Jie Wu1,2 ,  Leyi Liu1,2 ,  Dongsheng Yu1,2 ,  Huancai Lin1,2* ,  Wei Zhao1,2*
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1 Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
2 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
3 Fujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterial and Stomatological Key Laboratory of Fujian College and University, Department of Prosthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
4 Departments of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
5 Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
IJB, 025290286 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJB025290286
Received: 15 June 2025 | Accepted: 31 July 2025 | Published online: 31 July 2025
© 2025 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

Graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) possess excellent biocompatibility and have demonstrated potential to enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis. The objective of this work was to construct Ti6Al4V porous scaffolds modified with different GOQD concentrations and investigate their influence on osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Porous Ti6Al4V scaffolds were coated with GOQDs at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/mL. The proliferation and adhesion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on these scaffolds were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, immunofluorescence staining, and real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In vivo bone regeneration and angiogenesis were assessed through micro-computed tomography imaging and tissue section staining analysis. The results demonstrated successful deposition of GOQDs and the presence of characteristic functional groups. In vitro assays demonstrated that scaffolds coated with 0.1 μg/mL GOQDs significantly promoted the osteogenic/ angiogenic differentiation of BMSCs and HUVECs. In vivo experiments revealed that the 0.1 μg/mL GOQDs-coated scaffold (GQ@TC4) significantly enhanced bone formation and vascularization after 12 weeks. These findings suggest that Ti6Al4V biomimetic porous scaffolds functionalized with an optimal concentration (0.1 μg/ mL) of GOQDs can effectively promote both osteogenesis and angiogenesis, offering a promising strategy for bone defect repair.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
Graphene oxide quantum dots
Human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Ti6Al4V biomimetic porous scaffolds
Vascularized bone regeneration
Funding
This research was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 81974146), the Guangdong Natural Sciences Foundation (No. 2023A1515012554), the Fujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University (Grant No. 2023SZ-B01), and the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program 2023 by the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article.
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing
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