Cyclodextrins as multipurpose materials for bone regeneration

The increase in life expectancy is favoring the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases that compromise the quality of life of millions of people all over the world. Moreover, some life styles promote the early apparition of degenerative diseases. The unmet clinical demand of tissue regeneration prompts the searching of novel strategies. Cyclodextrins (CDs) have an outstanding track record as versatile tools for drug formulation. Although still less explored, CDs are being found useful for a variety of purposes in the design of advanced scaffolds for regenerative medicine. CDs can simultaneously host therapeutic agents and structural components of the scaffolds serving as reversible tie-junctions. Versatile 2D nanostructured systems can be obtained by means of electrospinning. Soft 3D supramolecular structures can be prepared as syringeable materials to be administered using minimally invasive techniques, with the additional advantage of ensuring a full filling of the gap in the damage tissue. Additionally, CDs have recently been demonstrated suitable to prepare patient-personalized scaffolds by means of 3D printing, opening novel approaches for scaffold design using additive manufacture techniques. 2D and 3D CD-based scaffolds have shown advanced performances for various tissues regeneration, including bone and cartilage, combining cell growth support and sustained delivery of active substances, growth factors and even viral vectors for improved tissue repair and angiogenesis. This talk aims to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art of the use of CDs in bone regeneration. Although most information still refers to in vitro and preclinical studies, recent progresses in the field point out CDs as key components of improved scaffolds.