A Multifunctional 3d-Printed Scaffold With Therapeutic and Regenerative Potential for Bone Cancer Therapy and Tissue Regeneration

Malignant bone tumors pose clinical challenges, requiring both tumor removal and subsequent bone regeneration [1]. This necessitates advanced biomaterials designed through interdisciplinary strategies capable of both therapeutic and regenerative functions—a concept known as “theragenerative” biomaterials [2–4]. This study presents a novel multifunctional 3D-printed scaffold composed of Sphene (CaTiSiO 5 ) for bone cancer therapy and tissue regeneration Sphene nanoparticles were synthesized followed by fabrication of 3D printed scaffolds. The scaffolds were coated with mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) to enhance bioactivity and a nanocomposite of black phosphorus (BP) and polydopamine (PD) to provide anticancer functionality and immunomodulatory effects. Study objectives included: (I) Fabrication of 3D-printed Sphene scaffolds, (II) MBG coating to improve bioactivity, (III) BP-PD deposition to confer anticancer activity, (IV) In vitro assessment of therapeutic and regenerative potential. Thermal optimization during sintering revealed 1300°C as the optimal temperature, preserving scaffold integrity. Via an innovative sol-gel technique, MBG was formed uniformly on the scaffolds and then, the BP-PD deposition was confirmed. Scaffolds exhibited bioactivity in simulated body fluid. Mesenchymal stem cell assays demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility, and the surface-modified scaffolds stimulated the proliferation, adhesion, and osteogenic differentiation of the cells. Anticancer studies using SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells revealed significant tumor suppression, further enhanced by near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. BP-PD-coated scaffolds selectively inhibited osteosarcoma cells while supporting healthy cell growth. Preliminary findings suggest that BP specifically targets cancer cells while the surface coatings improve bioactivity kinetics. The scaffolds also promoted osteogenesis, as evidenced by early and late osteogenic protein expression. This study introduces a novel theragenerative scaffold combining Sphene, MBG, and BP-PD, offering dual-functionality for bone cancer therapy and tissue regeneration. Ongoing investigations aim to further elucidate its physicochemical and biological properties. Supported by the Joint CNR-MOST (China) Collaboration Project 2024–2025 (CUP B63C24000210005) and by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFE0126900).