Strong electroactive biodegradable shape memory polymer networks based on star-shaped polylactide and aniline trimer for bone tissue engineering.

Preparation of functional shape memory polymer (SMP) for tissue engineering remains a challenge. Here the synthesis of strong electroactive shape memory polymer (ESMP) networks based on star-shaped polylactide (PLA) and aniline trimer (AT) is reported. Six-armed PLAs with various chain lengths were chemically cross-linked to synthesize SMP. After addition of an electroactive AT segment into the SMP, ESMP was obtained. The polymers were characterized by (1)H NMR, GPC, FT-IR, CV, DSC, DMA, tensile test, and degradation test. The SMP and ESMP exhibited strong mechanical properties (modulus higher than GPa) and excellent shape memory performance: short recovery time (several seconds), high recovery ratio (over 94%), and high fixity ratio (almost 100%). Moreover, cyclic voltammetry test confirmed the electroactivity of the ESMP. The ESMP significantly enhanced the proliferation of C2C12 cells compared to SMP and linear PLA (control). In addition, the ESMP greatly improved the osteogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblast cells compared to PH10 and PLA in terms of ALP enzyme activity, immunofluorescence staining, and relative gene expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). These intelligent SMPs and electroactive SMP with strong mechanical properties, tunable degradability, good electroactivity, biocompatibility, and enhanced osteogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells show great potential for bone regeneration.