The combinatory effect of sinusoidal electromagnetic field and VEGF promotes osteogenesis and angiogenesis of mesenchymal stem cell-laden PCL/HA implants in a rat subcritical cranial defect

Background Restoration of massive bone defects remains a huge challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Insufficient vascularization and slow bone regeneration limited the application of tissue engineering in bone defect. The effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) on bone defect has been reported for many years. However, sinusoidal EMF (SEMF) combined with tissue engineering in bone regeneration remains poorly investigated. Methods In the present study, we investigated the effect of SEMF and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on osteogenic and vasculogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). Furthermore, pretreated rBMSC- laden polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite (PCL/HA) scaffold was constructed and implanted into the subcritical cranial defect of rats. The bone formation and vascularization were evaluated 4 and 12 weeks after implantation. Results It was shown that SEMF and VEGF could enhance the protein and mRNA expression levels of osteoblast- and endothelial cell-related markers, respectively. The combinatory effect of SEMF and VEGF slightly promoted the angiogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. The proteins of Wnt1, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP-6), and β-catenin increased in all inducted groups, especially in SEMF + VEGF group. The results indicated that Wnt/β-catenin pathway might participate in the osteogenic and angiogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. Histological evaluation and reconstructed 3D graphs revealed that tissue-engineered constructs significantly promoted the new bone formation and angiogenesis compared to other groups. Conclusion The combinatory effect of SEMF and VEGF raised an efficient approach to enhance the osteogenesis and vascularization of tissue-engineered constructs, which provided a useful guide for regeneration of bone defects.