Bioactive materials
Micellar LYTAC-engineered bionic coatings abrogate RANK-dependent osteocatabolism and boost fibrillogenesis-mimetic mineral accretion for empowering osteoporotic osseointegration
By Zhao Y, Zhou J, He Y and 5 others.
Abstract
Patients with osteoporosis are highly susceptible to fractures that often require implant fixation and stabilization. However, excessive osteoclast activity under osteoporotic conditions accelerates bone resorption at the bone-implant interface, severely compromising implant osseointegration. RANKL-RANK axis is a central regulator of osteoclast function and emerges as a promising target for osteoporosis treatment, yet current therapeutic options primarily rely on reversible ligand neutralization and can be followed by rebound bone loss after treatment discontinuation. Here, we developed a biomimetic titanium implant coating incorporating RANK-targeted micellar lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs) to enhance osseointegration under osteoporotic conditions. Collagen-like peptides (CLPs) were conjugated to bispecific aptamers targeting RANK and the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-M6PR) through acid-responsive linkers. The resulting conjugates self-assembled into supramolecular LYTACs (CLP-Apt) and were integrated onto hydroxyapatite-modified titanium surfaces. Hydroxyapatite facilitated mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) recruitment, whereas acidic microenvironmental cues triggered CLP-Apt release. Simultaneous engagement of RANK and CI-M6PR on osteoclasts directed RANK toward lysosomal degradation, thereby suppressing osteoclast-mediated bone resorption while promoting MSC osteogenic differentiation and type H vessel formation. Following lysosomal processing, the released CLPs assembled extracellularly into bone matrix-mimetic fibers that chelated Ca2+ and accelerated new bone formation through a fibrillogenesis-mimetic process. By directly degrading RANK while promoting vascularized bone regeneration, this coating provides a localized strategy to overcome osteoclast-driven implant failure and achieve rapid, robust osseointegration under osteoporotic conditions.







