Porous copper- and lithium-doped nano-hydroxyapatite composite scaffold promotes angiogenesis and bone regeneration in the repair of glucocorticoids-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Glucocorticoids-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GIONFH) is a common refractory disease. In the present study, we aimed to synthesize the nano-hydroxyapatite-copper-lithium (Cu-Li-nHA) composite porous scaffold to promote osteogenesis and angiogenesis functions to repair GIONFH by regulating the Wnt/-catenin and HIF-1/VEGF pathways. The physicochemical property of the scaffold was characterized and their osteogenic and angiogenic effects were tested through a serial of experimentsand. Results showed that 0.25% Cu-Li-nHA scaffolds possessed the highest mechanical and biocompatibility. Then the 0.25% Cu-Li-nHA scaffolds significantly enhanced the new bone formation on defects in GIONFH rabbits. Moreover, the scaffold could increase the expression of osteogenic and angiogenic factors along with the activation of factors in Wnt/-catenin and HIF-1/VEGF pathwaysand. In conclusion, the 0.25% Cu-Li-nHA scaffold could improve the osteogenesis and angiogenesis by upregulating the Wnt/-catenin and HIF-1/VEGF pathways which benefited to repair the GIONFH in rabbit models.