ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomechanics
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1642818
This article is part of the Research TopicEnhancing Sports Injury Management through Medical-Engineering InnovationsView all 12 articles
ZIF-8-loaded decellularized porcine annulus fibrosus bioadhesive enhances rotator cuff tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shanghai 6th Peoples Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- 2Donghua University, Shanghai, China
- 3Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China
- 4Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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The high rate of retear following rotator cuff repair is largely attributed to the absence of a fibrocartilage layer and limited bone regeneration capacity. We aim to evaluate a bioadhesive derived from decellularized porcine annulus fibrosus extracellular matrix, loaded with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), and to promote rotator cuff tendon-bone healing.Methods: Three adhesive formulations were developed: (1) silk fibroin/tannic acid (ST group), (2) ST combined with decellularized porcine annulus fibrosus extracellular matrix (ST/dECM group), and (3) ST/dECM supplemented with ZIF-8 (ST/dECM/ZIF-8 group). Optimal component ratios were determined using lap shear strength testing. The microstructure, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, swelling behavior, and degradation properties of the materials were characterized. In vitro studies assessed the adhesives' effects on cytotoxicity, proliferation, and the chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). A rat rotator cuff repair model was used to evaluate in vivo antiinflammatory effects, fibrocartilage and bone regeneration, and biomechanical performance.Results: All adhesive formulations exhibited comparable tissue adhesion strength and biocompatibility. Both the ST/dECM and ST/dECM/ZIF-8 groups enhanced BMSC chondrogenic differentiation compared to the ST group, with the ST/dECM/ZIF-8 group showing superior osteogenic induction. In vivo, the ST/dECM/ZIF-8 hydrogel effectively reduced interfacial inflammation and promoted fibrocartilage and bone regeneration. Biomechanical testing demonstrated significantly higher ultimate load, tensile stress, and stiffness in all adhesive-treated groups compared to untreated controls.The ST/dECM/ZIF-8 bioadhesive hydrogel promotes fibrocartilage and bone regeneration. These findings highlight its potential as a promising biomaterial-based strategy to enhance tendon-to-bone interface healing following rotator cuff repair.
Keywords: Rotator Cuff, Tendon-to-bone, decellularized extracellular matrix, bioadhesive, ZIF-8
Received: 07 Jun 2025; Accepted: 14 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jiang, Xu, Sun, Yang, Xia, Xue and He. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Wen Xue, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
Yaohua He, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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