Rutin‐Releasing Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid)/Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Scaffolds for Enhanced Osteogenic Potential

An ideal bone tissue‐engineered scaffold synergizes osteoinductive potential with immunomodulatory strategies to mitigate adverse foreign body reactions. Thus, we developed rutin‐releasing electrospun poly(lactic acid) (PLA)‐based scaffolds blended with the non‐fouling polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to enhance bone tissue regeneration and reduce protein adsorption. Scaffolds were fabricated from a polymer solution comprising a blend of PLA and PEG to improve hydrophilicity, and rutin to enhance osteogenic activity. The physicochemical and biological properties of the scaffolds were then characterized. Microstructural examination confirmed smooth nanofibrous morphology without bead formation across all formulations. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the incorporation of PEG into the PLA matrix. Compared with pure PLA, PEG incorporation significantly increased hydrophilicity and reduced protein adsorption. A degradation study demonstrated that although PEG accelerated degradation, the scaffolds retained structural integrity for at least 30 days. Moreover, PEG blending facilitated greater rutin release than rutin‐loaded PLA scaffolds. In vitro biological evaluations demonstrated that rutin‐loaded scaffolds, particularly PLA/PEG/Rutin, markedly promoted osteogenesis, as evidenced by enhanced collagen production, calcium deposition, alkaline phosphatase activity, and the upregulation of osteogenic gene expression without signs of cytotoxicity. These findings highlight PLA/PEG/Rutin scaffolds as promising polymeric biomaterials that minimize immune rejection while enhancing bone regeneration.