Proanthocyanidin-Imbued cellulosic 3-Dimensional intrinsic aligned Nanostructures: A novel approach for dental and bone regeneration using dental pulp derived stem cells

Developing effective scaffolds to address significant bone and dental defects is crucial in regenerative osteal and dental medicine. Traditional methods utilizing synthetic micropatterned scaffolds have effectively stimulated osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation of stem cells through parallel, 3D topographic, hexagonal, and elongated architectural features. However, these approaches face significant cost, scalability, and biocompatibility challenges. Recent advancements have highlighted the potential of decellularized plant scaffolds, such as those derived from Beaucarnea recurvata leaves (BLDS). These offer intrinsic microstructural advantages with solving reproducibility, scalability, incurred cost, and biocompatibility challenges. This study explores the enhancement of BLDS using grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE), a natural polyphenol known for its beneficial effects on bone and dental stem cell differentiation. By functionalizing BLDS with GSPE, we investigated its impact on osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DPDMSCs). The modified scaffolds exhibited improved physicochemical properties, including enhanced cell proliferation, protein absorption, scaffold interactions, and upregulated osteogenic and dental marker gene expression. SEM imaging revealed significant cellular growth and morphological changes indicative of successful differentiation. Furthermore, BLDS-GSPE demonstrated increased ALP activity and mineral deposition, suggesting its potential as a cost-effective, reproducible and biocompatible alternative for bone and dental repair compared to conventional synthetic biomaterials.