Proliferation Of Osteoblastic Cells Research Articles

Water-soluble biopolymers calcium polymalate derived from fermentation broth of Aureobasidium pullulans markedly alleviates osteoporosis and fatigue

Osteoporosis is a prevalent condition characterized by bone loss and decreased skeletal strength, resulting in an elevated risk of fractures. Calcium plays a crucial role in preventing and managing osteoporosis. However, traditional calcium supplements have limited bioavailability, poor solubility, and adverse effects. In this study, we isolated a natural soluble biopolymer, calcium polymalate (PMACa), from the fermentation broth of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans, to investigate its potential as an anti-osteoporosis therapeutic agent. Characterization revealed that linear PMA-Ca chains juxtaposed to form a porous, rod-like state, in the presence of Ca2+. In vivo mouse models demonstrated that PMA-Ca significantly promoted the conversion of serum calcium into bone calcium, and stimulated bone growth and osteogenesis. Additionally, PMA-Ca alleviated exercise fatigue in mice by facilitating the removal of essential metabolites, such as serum lactate (BLA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), from their bloodstream. In vitro studies further showed that PMA-Ca strengthened osteoblast cell activity, proliferation, and mineralization. And PMA-Ca upregulated the expression of some genes involved in osteoblast differentiation, indicating a potential correlation between bone formation and PMACa. These findings indicate that soluble PMA-Ca has the potential to be a novel biopolymer-based calcium supplement with sustainable production sourced from the fermentation industry.

The screened compounds from Ligustri Lucidi Fructus using the immobilized calcium sensing receptor column exhibit osteogenic activity in vitro

Calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) has become the novel target of treating osteoporosis with herbal medicine Ligustri Lucidi Fructus (LLF), however, the bioactive compounds responsible for anti-osteoporosis are hard to clarify due to the complexity and diversity of chemical constituents in it. Herein, the immobilized CaSR column was packed with stationary phase materials, which were derived from integrating CLIP-tagged CaSR directly out of crude cell lysates onto the surface of silica gels (5.83 mg/g) in a site-specific covalent manner. The column had a great specificity of recognizing agonists and kept a good stability for at least 3 weeks. The two compounds from LLF extract were screened and identified as olenuezhenoside and ligustroflavone using the immobilized CaSR column in conjunction with mass spectrometry. Molecular docking predicted that both compounds were bound in venus flytrap (VFT) domain of CaSR by the formation of hydrogen bonds. Cellular results showed that both compounds exhibited the distinct osteogenic activity by enhancing the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblastic cells. Our study demonstrated that, the immobilized protein column enables to screen the bioactive compounds rapidly from herbal extract, and the newly discovered natural product ligands towards CaSR, including olenuezhenoside and ligustroflavone, will be the candidates for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Incorporation of hydroxyapatite and cerium oxide nanoparticle scaffold as an antibacterial filler matrix for biomedical applications.

Managing bone healing is essential for preventing problems such as non-union, bacterial infection, structural instability, psychological, and physical damage in patients. The need to use antibiotics less often has prompted researchers to look at possible substitutes, such as nanoparticles. In this investigation, we choose to employ cerium oxide nanoparticles due to their unique antibacterial properties based on redox reactions. The cerium oxide-hydroxyapatite composite was synthesized, calcined, and ball-milled to create a fine CeO2-HA powder. Luffa cylindrica sponge was used to prepare the scaffold, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the structural and morphological features. Rapid upregulation of osteogenesis marker genes confirmed that CeO2-HA nanoparticles in the scaffolds promoted osteoblast cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. The cell viability test was conducted by MTT assay. When the CeO2-HA composite was cultured with S. aureus, it showed signs of having more antibacterial efficacy than pure HA.

Construction of Magnesium Phosphate Chemical Conversion Coatings with Different Microstructures on Titanium to Enhance Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis.

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely used as hard tissue substitutes in dentistry and orthopedics, but their low bioactivity leads to undesirable osseointegration defects in the early osteogenic phase. Surface modification is an important approach to overcome these problems. In the present study, novel magnesium phosphate (MgP) coatings with controllable structures were fabricated on the surface of Ti using the phosphate chemical conversion (PCC) method. The effects of the microstructure on the physicochemical and biological properties of the coatings on Ti were researched. The results indicated that accelerators in PCC solution were important factors affecting the microstructure and properties of the MgP coatings. In addition, the coated Ti exhibited excellent hydrophilicity, high bonding strength, and good corrosion resistance. Moreover, the biological results showed that the MgP coatings could improve the spread, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of mouse osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1) and vascular differentiation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), indicating that the coated Ti samples had a great effect on promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Overall, this study provided a new research idea for the surface modification of conventional Ti to enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis in different bone types for potential biomedical applications.

Biomimetic Mineralized 3D-Printed Polycaprolactone Scaffold Induced by Self-Adaptive Nanotopology to Accelerate Bone Regeneration.

Three-dimensional (3D)-printed biodegradable polymer scaffolds are at the forefront of personalized constructs for bone tissue engineering. However, it remains challenging to create a biological microenvironment for bone growth. Herein, we developed a novel yet feasible approach to facilitate biomimetic mineralization via self-adaptive nanotopography, which overcomes difficulties in the surface biofunctionalization of 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. The building blocks of self-adaptive nanotopography were PCL lamellae that formed on the 3D-printed PCL scaffold via surface-directed epitaxial crystallization and acted as a linker to nucleate and generate hydroxyapatite crystals. Accordingly, a uniform and robust mineralized layer was immobilized throughout the scaffolds, which strongly bound to the strands and had no effect on the mechanical properties of the scaffolds. In vitro cell culture experiments revealed that the resulting scaffold was biocompatible and enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mouse embryolous osteoblast cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the resulting scaffold showed a strong capability to accelerate in vivo bone regeneration using a rabbit bone defect model. This study provides valuable opportunities to enhance the application of 3D-printed scaffolds in bone repair, paving the way for translation to other orthopedic implants.

Retracted: The Anatase Phase of Nanotopography Titania with Higher Roughness Has Better Biocompatibility in Osteoblast Cell Morphology and Proliferation.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/8032718.].

Scratch resistance and in-vitro biocompatibility of plasma-sprayed baghdadite coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes

Hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) coatings, commonly used for metallic implants, have limitations such as excessive brittleness, low fracture toughness, inadequate wear resistance, and slow osseointegration properties. In contrast, baghdadite (BAG, Ca3ZrSi2O9), a calcium zirconium silicate-based bioceramic, exhibits outstanding biological properties, to promote cell proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts along with adequate mechanical strength. In this study, plasma-sprayed HA, BAG, and carbon nanotubes (CNT, 1 wt%, and 2 wt%) reinforced BAG coatings are deposited on titanium (Ti) substrate to enhance its mechanical as well as biological properties. The microhardness values of CNT-reinforced BAG coatings increase due to a decrease in porosity and the retention of CNT inside the BAG matrix. Progressive loading scratch tests are performed, revealing a reduction in wear volume loss from 15.051 mm3 to 12.574 mm3 and scratch rate from 43.262 mm3N−1 m−1 to 36.172 mm3N−1 m−1 with the addition of 2 wt% CNT in BAG coatings. The scratch hardness test results demonstrated that introducing CNT into BAG coating significantly enhances its performance, showing a remarkable 38.7 % improvement. In-vitro cell culture studies indicate excellent cell adhesion, growth, and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells on the surfaces of the CNT-reinforced BAG coatings.

Sol-gel derived bioactive glasses containing boron and strontium: Bioactivity, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties

This study was aimed at the biological characterization of bioactive glasses in the systems of (60-x) SiO2–36CaO–4P2O5–xB2O3, and (60-x) SiO2–31CaO–4P2O5–5SrO-xB2O3 (x = 0, 1, 5, 10 and 15 mol%) synthesized through sol-gel technique. The influence of boron and strontium addition on in vivo bioactivity, antibacterial efficiency, and cell viability was studied. The morphological and structural assessments indicated that the bioactive glasses with chemical compositions of 50SiO2–31CaO–4P2O5–5SrO-10B2O3 (BG-5S10B), and 45SiO2–31CaO–4P2O5–5SrO-15B2O3 (BG-5S15B) possessed the highest bioactivity, owing to faster ion release and superior ability to induce apatite precipitation. The findings of the cell viability assay highlighted significant improvements in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells through the incorporation of strontium and boron (up to 10 %). Notably, the BG-5S10B sample exhibited exceptional biocompatibility and substantial antibacterial effectiveness on both E. coli and S. aureus. A combination of favorable biological properties makes BG-5S10B a highly promising option for use in bone tissue engineering applications.

PMMA bone cement with L-arginine/nano fish bone nanocomplex for apatite formation.

Bone cement is one of the materials used in orthopaedics that serves various functions, such as binding bone implants, replacing damaged bones and filling spaces within bones. Various materials have been used to synthesize bone cement, and one promising material for further research is fish bone waste-based bone cement. This study investigates the potential of fish bone waste-based bone cement by incorporating nano fish bone (NFB) and L-arginine (L-Arg) protein into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to examine apatite growth. NFB derived from the Salmo salar fish positively influences osteoblast cell proliferation and differentiation, while L-Arg enhances biocompatibility and antibiotic properties. The NFB/L-Arg combination holds promise in accelerating new bone formation and cell growth, both of which are crucial for fracture healing and bone remodelling. Tensile strength tests reveal the superior performance of BC-PMMA-1-NFB/L-Arg (36.11 MPa) compared with commercial PMMA (32 MPa). Immersion tests with simulated body fluid (SBF) solution for 7 days reveal accelerated apatite layer formation, emphasizing the potential benefits of NFB/L-Arg in bone cement applications.

Vitamin D3 Release from MgO Doped 3D Printed TCP Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration.

Regenerating bone tissue in critical-sized craniofacial bone defects remains challenging and requires the implementation of innovative bone implants with early stage osteogenesis and blood vessel formation. Vitamin D3 is incorporated into MgO-doped 3D-printed scaffolds for defect-specific and patient-specific implants in low load-bearing areas. This novel bone implant also promotes early stage osteogenesis and blood vessel development. Our results show that vitamin D3-loaded MgO-doped 3D-printed scaffolds enhance osteoblast cell proliferation 1.3-fold after being cultured for 7 days. Coculture studies on osteoblasts derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and osteoclasts derived from monocytes show the upregulation of genes related to osteoblastogenesis and the downregulation of RANK-L, which is essential for osteoclastogenesis. Release of vitamin D3 also inhibits osteoclast differentiation by 1.9-fold after a 21-day culture. After 6 weeks, vitamin D3 release from MgO-doped 3D-printed scaffolds enhances the new bone formation, mineralization, and angiogenic potential. The multifunctional 3D-printed scaffolds can improve early stage osteogenesis and blood vessel formation in craniofacial bone defects.

A theragenerative bio-nanocomposite consisting of black phosphorus quantum dots for bone cancer therapy and regeneration

Recently, the term theragenerative has been proposed for biomaterials capable of inducing therapeutic approaches followed by repairing/regenerating the tissue/organ. This study is focused on the design of a new theragenerative nanocomposite composed of an amphiphilic non-ionic surfactant (Pluronic F127), bioactive glass (BG), and black phosphorus (BP). The nanocomposite was prepared through a two-step synthetic strategy, including a microwave treatment that turned BP nanosheets (BPNS) into quantum dots (BPQDs) with 5 ± 2 nm dimensions in situ. The effects of surfactant and microwave treatment were assessed in vitro: the surfactant distributes the ions homogenously throughout the composite and the microwave treatment chemically stabilizes the composite. The presence of BP enhanced bioactivity and promoted calcium phosphate formation in simulated body fluid. The inherent anticancer activity of BP-containing nanocomposites was tested against osteosarcoma cells in vitro, finding that 150 μg mL−1 was the lowest concentration which prevented the proliferation of SAOS-2 cells, while the counterpart without BP did not affect the cell growth rate. Moreover, the apoptosis pathways were evaluated and a mechanism of action was proposed. NIR irradiation was applied to induce further proliferation suppression on SAOS-2 cells through hyperthermia. The inhibitory effects of bare BP nanomaterials and nanocomposites on the migration and invasion of bone cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer cells were assessed in vitro to determine the anticancer potential of nanomaterials against primary and secondary bone cancers. The regenerative behavior of the nanocomposites was tested with healthy osteoblasts and human mesenchymal stem cells; the BPQDs-incorporated nanocomposite significantly promoted the proliferation of osteoblast cells and induced the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. This study introduces a new multifunctional theragenerative platform with promising potential for simultaneous bone cancer therapy and regeneration.

Optimization of a Photobiomodulation Protocol to Improve the Cell Viability, Proliferation and Protein Expression in Osteoblasts and Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts for Accelerated Orthodontic Treatment.

Numerous pieces of evidence have supported the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation (PBM) to modulate bone remodeling on mechanically stimulated teeth, proving PBM's ability to be used as a coadjuvant treatment to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). However, there are still uncertainty and discourse around the optimal PBM protocols, which hampers its optimal and consolidated clinical applicability. Given the differential expression and metabolic patterns exhibited in the tension and compression sides of orthodontically stressed teeth, it is plausible that different types of irradiation may be applied to each side of the teeth. In this sense, this study aimed to design and implement an optimization protocol to find the most appropriate PBM parameters to stimulate specific bone turnover processes. To this end, three levels of wavelength (655, 810 and 940 nm), two power densities (5 and 10 mW/cm2) and two regimens of single and multiple sessions within three consecutive days were tested. The biological response of osteoblasts and periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts was addressed by monitoring the PBM's impact on the cellular metabolic activity, as well as on key bone remodeling mediators, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANK-L), each day. The results suggest that daily irradiation of 655 nm delivered at 10 mW/cm2, as well as 810 and 940 nm light at 5 mW/cm2, lead to an increase in ALP and OPG, potentiating bone formation. In addition, irradiation of 810 nm at 5 mW/cm2 delivered for two consecutive days and suspended by the third day promotes a downregulation of OPG expression and a slight non-significant increase in RANK-L expression, being suitable to stimulate bone resorption. Future studies in animal models may clarify the impact of PBM on bone formation and resorption mediators for longer periods and address the possibility of testing different stimulation periodicities. The present in vitro study offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of specific PBM protocols to promote osteogenic and osteoclastogenesis responses and therefore its potential to stimulate bone formation on the tension side and bone resorption on the compression side of orthodontically stressed teeth.

Antibacterial effect of Ag-containing hydroxyapatite thin film fabricated by sputtering.

Infections related to joint prosthesis are still a major concern for orthopedic surgeons. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a useful biocompatible material because of its good osteocompatibility. Antibacterial HA coatings have been fabricated with addition of antibacterial agents such as Ag to HA using the plasma spraying method. However, the plasma-sprayed HA coating suffers from fractures at large thicknesses. The sputter-coated HA thin film has a high density, and has been applied clinically for dental implants. However, there are no extensive studies on Ag-containing HA thin films. The aim of this study was to prepare an Ag-containing HA thin film by sputtering, and evaluate its antibacterial effect and cytotoxicity. The Ag-containing HA thin films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antibacterial activities and cytotoxicities of the films were also evaluated. The Ag/Ca molar ratio of the films increased with the Ag ratio in the target. The SEM observation of the hydrothermally treated films showed surfaces covered with globular particles. All Ag-containing HA films exhibited an antibacterial effect against E. Coli. The number of cells of the films decreased with the Ag ratio. The films subjected to the hydrothermal treatment exhibited a higher number of cells than the as-sputtered films. The Ag-containing HA thin film was effective in terms of antibacterial effect, and had a low cytotoxicity in the proliferation of osteoblast cells at a low Ag ratio in the target.

Enhancement in the induction heating efficacy of sol-gel derived SiO2-CaO-Na2O-P2O5 bioglass-ceramics by incorporating magnetite nanoparticles.

Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticle (MNP)-substituted glass-ceramic (MSGC) powders with compositions of (45 - x)SiO2-24.5CaO-24.5Na2O-6P2O5-xFe3O4 (x = 5, 8, and 10 wt%) have been prepared by a sol-gel route by introducing Fe3O4 nanoparticles during the synthesis. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the as-prepared MSGC nanopowders revealed the presence of combeite (Na2Ca2Si3O9), magnetite, and sodium nitrate (NaNO3) crystalline phases. Heat-treatment up to 700 °C for 1 h resulted in the complete dissolution of NaNO3 along with partial conversion of magnetite into hematite (α-Fe2O3). Optimal heat-treatment of the MSGC powders at 550 °C for 1 h yielded the highest relative percentage of magnetite (without hematite) with some residual NaNO3. The saturation magnetization and heat generation capacity of the MSGC fluids increased with an increase in the MNP content. The in vitro bioactivity of the MSGC pellets was evaluated by monitoring the pH and the formation of a hydroxyapatite surface layer upon immersion in modified simulated body fluid. Proliferation of MG-63 osteoblast cells indicated that all of the MSGC compositions were non-toxic and MSGC with 10 wt% MNPs exhibited extraordinarily high cell viability. The MSGC with 10 wt% MNPs demonstrated optimal characteristics in terms of cell viability, magnetic properties, and induction heating capacity, which surpass those of the commercial magnetic fluid FluidMag-CT employed in hyperthermia treatment.

Metal-organic complex coating for enhanced corrosion control and biocompatibility on biodegradable magnesium alloy for orthopaedic implants.

Magnesium alloy is currently regarded as the most favourable biodegradable metal; however, obstacles remain to be overcome in terms of managing its corrosion and ensuring its biocompatibility. In this study, a metal-organic complex comprising Ca ions incorporated in tannic acid (TA) was prepared and used to coat magnesium alloy by chemical conversion and dipping processes, followed by modification with stearic acid (SA). This metal-organic complex coating was demonstrated to be homogeneous and compact, and it significantly improved the electrochemical corrosion resistance and long-term degradation behaviour of the coated samples. Consequently, the well-controlled release of Mg and Ca ions, as well as the osteo-compatible TA and SA molecules, promoted the proliferation of osteoblast cells. This metal-organic complex coating offers a promising modifying strategy for magnesium-based orthopaedic implants.

Alginate-CaCO3 hybrid colloidal hydrogel with tunable physicochemical properties for cell growth

Biomaterials composed of food polysaccharides are of great interest for future biomedical applications due to their great biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and complex architectural designs that play a crucial role in the modulation of cell adhesion and proliferation. In this work, a facile approach was designed to obtain novel 3D alginate-CaCO3 hybrid hydrogel particles in situ. Controlling the gel concentration from 3 to 20 mg·mL−1 allows us to control the alginate-CaCO3 hydrogel particles' size and density (size variation from 1.86 to 2.34 mm and density from 1.22 to 1.29 mg/mm3). This variable also has a considerable influence on the mineralization process resulting in CaCO3 particles with varied sizes and amounts within the hydrogel beads. The measurements of Young's modulus showed that the inclusion of CaCO3 particles into the alginate hydrogel improved its mechanical properties, and Young's modulus of these hybrid hydrogel particles had a linear relationship with alginate content and hydrogel particle size. Cell experiments indicated that alginate-CaCO3 hybrid hydrogel particles can support osteoblastic cell proliferation and growth. In particular, the amount of hydroxyapatite deposition on the cell membrane significantly increased after the treatment of cells with hybrid hydrogel particles, up to 20-fold. This work offers a strategy for constructing inorganic particle-doped polysaccharide hybrid hydrogel scaffolds that provide the potential to support cell growth.

Curcumin and Vitamin C dual release from Hydroxyapatite coated Ti6Al4V discs enhances in vitro biological properties

Titanium alloys are widely used as implant materials due to their biocompatibility and superior mechanical properties for high-load-bearing applications. However, one of the major challenges is their inferior bioactivity and osseoconductivity. Hydroxyapatite is widely used as an alternative material for bone implants due to its compositional similarity to natural bone. In this study, hydroxyapatite is coated on Ti6Al4V discs to enhance its bioactivity. The coated discs are drop-casted with curcumin in the lower layer and vitamin C in the upper layer. This study aims to evaluate the effects of this dual drug delivery system on osteoblast cell proliferation, inhibition of osteoclastogenesis, chemo-preventive and infection control properties. The coating strength obtained is 22 ± 2 MPa. The release from the dual delivery system shows a 1.5-fold increase in osteoblast cell viability, a 1.5-fold reduction in osteoclast cell differentiation, a 2-fold decrease in osteosarcoma growth. The release of curcumin demonstrates a 94% antibacterial efficacy, while the release of vitamin C exhibits an efficacy of 98.6% aganist Staphylococcus aureus. This multifunctional system can be used as a potential implant for load-bearing applications.

Structural identification of an polysaccharide isolated from Epimedium brevicornum and its beneficial effect on promoting osteogenesis in osteoblasts induced by high glucose

AimDiabetes osteoporosis (DOP) is a chronic bone metabolic disease induced by diabetes, whose morbidity continues to increase. Epimedium brevicornum Maxim (EB), a popular Chinese traditional medicine, has been used to treat bone diseases in China for thousands of years. But its material basis and specific mechanism of action are not clear. MethodsEpimedium brevicornum crude polysaccharide (EPE) is the main component, in this research the characterized the structure of EBPC1 purified from EPE was detected and its effects on cell proliferation, differentiation, and cytoskeletal in osteoblasts induced by high glucose. ResultsThe molecular weight of EBPC1 was 10.5 kDa. It was mainly comprised of glucose and galactose, and the backbone of EBPC1 was→4)-α-D-Galp-(1→4)-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-β-D-Galp-(1→6)-β-D-Galp-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→. The results from in vitro experiments revealed that EBPC1 significantly increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralized nodule formation in primary osteoblasts, also significantly up-regulated expression of Alp mRNA and Runx2 mRNA in the presence of EBPC1 pretreatment. Moreover, EBPC1 modulated apoptosis via the regulation of Bax/Bcl2. ConclusionThese results indicate that EBPC1 treatment can promote osteogenesis during DOP, which can ameliorate apoptosis by regulating Bax/Bcl2 and accelerating osteogenesis in osteoblasts.

Freeze casting of hydroxyapatite-titania composites for bone substitutes.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is commonly used as a bone substitute material, but it lacks mechanical strength when compared to native bone tissues. To improve the efficacy of HA as a bone substitute by improving the mechanical strength and cell growth attributes, porous composite scaffolds of HA and titania (HA-TiO2 ) were fabricated through a freeze-casting process. Three different compositions by weight percent, 25-75 HA-TiO2 , 50-50 HA-TiO2 , and 75-25 HA-TiO2 , were custom-made for testing. After sintering at 1250°C, these composite scaffolds exhibited improved mechanical properties compared to porous HA scaffolds. Substrate mixing was observed, which helped reduce crystal size and introduced new phases such as β-TCP and CaTiO3 , which also led to improved mechanical properties. The composition of 50-50 HA-TiO2 had the highest ultimate compressive strength of 3.12 ± 0.36 MPa and elastic modulus 63.29 ± 28.75 MPa. Human osteoblast cell proliferation assay also increased on all three different compositions when compared to porous HA at 14 days. These results highlight the potential of freeze casting composites for the fabrication of bone substitutes, which provide enhanced mechanical strength and biocompatibility while maintaining porosity.

Enhanced knee joint treatment using a hybrid hyaluronic acid-alginate filler reinforced with hydroxyapatite-titanium nanoparticles for sports-related injuries

Sports injuries, particularly bone injuries, have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. As athletes push themselves harder and become more competitive, the risk of injury rises. Additionally, the aging population has contributed to the increased prevalence of bone injuries, including those related to the knee joint. As a result, significant research efforts have focused on developing new techniques for knee joint repair. In this study, a novel hyaluronic acid-Alginate filler composition containing hydroxyapatite-titanium nanoparticles (HA/Ti-NPs) was prepared through freeze-drying. The crystalline properties of the porous scaffolds were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were used to visualize the scaffold structure. The morphological investigation demonstrated that adding 15 wt% Ti-NP to the scaffold reduces percentages of porosity to about 76.5 ± 5, while increasing the elastic modulus. Furthermore, the presence of nanoparticles decreased the rate of degradation, increased crystallinity, reduced pore size, and promoted calcium release, creating a favorable environment for bone tissue growth. The scaffold's degradation pH is close to neutral, which is ideal for bone tissue treatment. Adding 15 wt% Ti-NP reduces the contact angle from 120° to 93°. The composite scaffolds promote the proliferation and growth of osteoblast cells, and after 48 h, degraded material improved cell viability, growth, and proliferation. The three-component hyaluronic acid-Alginate/HA scaffolds with 15 wt% Ti-NP exhibited suitable morphological, mechanical, physical, and chemical properties for bone applications, as well as high potential for joint bonding. These porous scaffolds have the potential to be used as bone fillers of sport injuries and further research is needed to confirm their efficacy.