Control of Bone Metastasis Caused by Breast Cancer Using Nanocomposite Scaffolds Containing Strontium Ranelate

Introduction: Bone metastases are one of the most important consequences of breast cancer, and the possibility of developing them is greatly increased due to the late diagnosis of the cancer. In general, systemic treatments for metastases can have many side effects. To reduce this concern, tissue engineering scaffolds containing osteogenesis drugs can be used to minimize these problems as much as possible. Methods: In this study, polycaprolactone/polyvinyl alcohol (PCL/PVA) composite scaffolds were prepared for use in bone tissue engineering with a weight percentage of strontium ranelate (SrR) drug (0, 5, and 20) by shell-core emulsion electrospinning method. Scaffolds prepared in this study were subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle, and biodegradation analyses for morphological and structural investigation. Then, to check their biocompatibility, an MTT test was performed. Results: The results of SEM images showed the nanostructure of the fibers. Also, the presence of interconnected pores with a suitable size was confirmed by the images. MTT results proved the non-toxicity of all prepared scaffolds by high cell viability (˃80%). According to the obtained results, the composite scaffolds containing the drug SrR have been successfully synthesized and have the desired properties for use in bone regeneration applications. Conclusion: Controlling bone metastases due to breast cancer is an important concern. In this study, the composite scaffold containing strontium ranlate showed suitable physicochemical, biocompatibility, and osteogenesis characteristics.