Double Metal-Organophosphate Network of Phytate-Ga/Ge on Polyimide Fiber Woven Fabric for Facilitating Osseointegration and Preventing Infection in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Abstract

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture has emerged as one of the highly prevalent injuries in sports, yet developing an ideal artificial ligament for ACL restoration remains challenging. Herein, the polyimide fiber woven fabric (PI) is coated with a double metal-organophosphate network of phytate (PA)-gallium (Ga)/-germanium (Ge) through a self-assembly method as a novel artificial ligament (PAGG). PA not only chelates with both Ga and Ge ions but also forms a hydrogen bond with the PI matrix, which displays optimized surface performances. The marked enhancement of cell attachment, multiplication, and osteoblastic differentiation is attributed to the collaborative interaction of surface properties and the controlled release of Ga ions. Because of the Ge ions, PAGG scavenges intracellular reactive oxygen species and induces anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization in vitro. The sustained release of Ge ions provides a favorable antioxidant/anti-inflammatory environment that effectively minimizes fibrous encapsulation in vivo. The ACL reconstruction experiments reveal that PAGG effectively stimulated bone regeneration, thereby facilitating ligament-bone integration. Moreover, PAGG demonstrates remarkable antibacterial properties in vitro and anti-infection in vivo due to the synergistic effect of Ga and Ge ions. In short, PAGG with excellent biocompatibility, anti-inflammation, and anti-infection effects significantly facilitates ligament-bone integration, thereby displaying great potential for ACL repair.