Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sodium hyaluronate (HY), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and HY-functionalized SWCNTs (HY-SWCNTs) on the behavior of primary osteoblasts, as well as to investigate the deposition of inorganic crystals on titanium surfaces coated with these biocomposites. Primary osteoblasts were obtained from the calvarial bones of male newborn Wistar rats (5 rats for each cell extraction). We assessed cell viability using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay and by double-staining with propidium iodide and Hoechst. We also assessed the formation of mineralized bone nodules by von Kossa staining, the mRNA expression of bone repair proteins, and the deposition of inorganic crystals on titanium surfaces coated with HY, SWCNTs, or HY-SWCNTs. The results showed that treatment with these biocomposites did not alter the viability of primary osteoblasts. Furthermore, deposition of mineralized bone nodules was significantly increased by cells treated with HY and HY-SWCNTs. This can be partly explained by an increase in the mRNA expression of type I and III collagen, osteocalcin, and bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4. Additionally, the titanium surface treated with HY-SWCNTs showed a significant increase in the deposition of inorganic crystals. Thus, our data indicate that HY, SWCNTs, and HY-SWCNTs are potentially useful for the development of new strategies for bone tissue engineering.
Highlights
The advent of nanotechnology has enabled researchers to develop new functional materials, devices, and systems, with promising potential in the healthcare and medicine fields [1,2]
MTT cell viability assay No significant differences in viability were observed between the cells treated with different concentrations of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or HY-SWCNTs compared with the control group (Figure 1A and B)
The cells treated with HY (Figure 2G-I), SWCNTs (Figure 2J-L), and HY-SWCNTs (Figure 2M-O) showed little co-localization (PI and Hoechst), indicating that the viability of the osteoblasts was not affected by any of the biocomposites
Summary
The advent of nanotechnology has enabled researchers to develop new functional materials, devices, and systems, with promising potential in the healthcare and medicine fields [1,2]. HY is a glycosaminoglycan that is found in the extracellular matrix of mammalian tissues [19], which stimulates osteoprogenitor cells to migrate, proliferate, and differentiate into osteoblasts [20,21] by binding to cell surface receptors, such as CD44 and the receptor for hyaluronic acid-mediated motility [20,22]. It appears that HY and HY-CNTs can actively induce bone formation by activating osteoblasts. Several studies have shown that titanium coated with CNTs or hyaluronic acid induces better cell adhesion and proliferation, along with increased bone formation around dental implants [23,24,25]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
