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

Photothermally regulated antimicrobial and osteogenic 3D-printed scaffolds for diabetic cranial bone regeneration

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, Fujian , China
2 Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan) of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong , China
3 Research Center of Dental and Craniofacial Implants, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian , China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
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

Bone regeneration in diabetes-related defects is severely impaired by high-glucose-induced chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired angiogenesis, resulting in limited repair efficacy of conventional scaffolds in this complex microenvironment. This study constructed a 3D-printed methacrylated dextran (DexMA)/polydopamine-modified hydroxyapatite (P-HAP)/Cu2O@MXene composite scaffold that integrates photothermal sterilization, osteogenic induction, and immunomodulatory functions. The scaffold utilizes DexMA as a framework to ensure formability and mechanical properties; 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 inhibited inflammatory cytokine expression, promoted M2 macrophage polarization, and synergistically promoted angiogenesis and bone remodeling by increasing CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression and enhancing runt-related transcription factor 2-mediated osteogenic activity. The proposed intelligent scaffold strategy integrates spatiotemporal responsiveness with multiple regenerative mechanisms, offering a promising approach for the repair of complex bone defects under diabetic conditions.

Keywords
Diabetic bone defect
3D printing scaffold
Osteogenesis
Cu₂O@MXene
Runx2 pathway
Funding
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82571054).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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