Biocompatibility and biodegradation of polyester and polyfumarate based-scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric scaffolds have been recently introduced for tissue regeneration purpose. In the present study we aimed to develop polymeric-based scaffolds for bone regeneration. Two polyesters, poly-β-propiolactone (PBPL), poly-ε-caprolactone (PCPL) and two polyfumarates, polydiisopropyl fumarate (PDIPF), polydicyclohexyl fumarate (PDCF) were chosen to prepare films which can support osteoblastic growth. Scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle were used to characterize the matrices. Biodegradation studies were performed both in PBS buffer and using an in vitro macrophage degradation assay. Mouse calvaria-derived MC3T3E1 cells and UMR106 rat osteosarcoma cell lines were used to perform biocompatibility and cytotoxicity studies. The polyesters, the most hydrophilic polymers studied, showed a rougher and more porous surfaces than the polyfumarates. Under acellular conditions, only PBPL was degraded by hydrolytic mechanisms. However, macrophages performed an active degradation of all polymeric films. Osteoblasts developed well-defined actin fibres without evidence of cytotoxicity when growing on the films. The number of UMR106 osteoblasts that adhered to the PBPL-based film was higher than that of the cells attached to the PECL and polyfumarates (PDIPF and PDCF) matrices. Both UMR106 and MC3T3E1 osteoblastic lines showed protein levels comparable to control conditions, demonstrating that they grew well on all surfaces. However, UMR106 cells showed a significant increase in proliferation on polyester-derived scaffolds (PBPL and PECL). The alkaline phosphatase activity of UMR106, an osteoblastic marker, was significantly higher than that of control plastic dishes. MC3T3E1 cells expressed similar levels of this differentiation marker in all polymeric matrices. We found similar collagen protein content after 48 h culture of UMR106 cells on all surfaces. However, important differences were evident in the MC3T3E1 line. In conclusion, the synthetic polymeric-based scaffold we have developed and studied supports adhesion, growth and differentiation of two osteoblastic cell lines, suggesting that they could be useful in bone tissue regeneration. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Biocompatibility and biodegradation of polyester and polyfumarate based-scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric scaffolds have been recently introduced for tissue regeneration purpose. In the present study we aimed to develop polymeric-based scaffolds for bone regeneration. Two polyesters, poly-β-propiolactone (PBPL), poly-ε-caprolactone (PCPL) and two polyfumarates, polydiisopropyl fumarate (PDIPF), polydicyclohexyl fumarate (PDCF) were chosen to prepare films which can support osteoblastic growth. Scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle were used to characterize the matrices. Biodegradation studies were performed both in PBS buffer and using an in vitro macrophage degradation assay. Mouse calvaria-derived MC3T3E1 cells and UMR106 rat osteosarcoma cell lines were used to perform biocompatibility and cytotoxicity studies. The polyesters, the most hydrophilic polymers studied, showed a rougher and more porous surfaces than the polyfumarates. Under acellular conditions, only PBPL was degraded by hydrolytic mechanisms. However, macrophages performed an active degradation of all polymeric films. Osteoblasts developed well-defined actin fibres without evidence of cytotoxicity when growing on the films. The number of UMR106 osteoblasts that adhered to the PBPL-based film was higher than that of the cells attached to the PECL and polyfumarates (PDIPF and PDCF) matrices. Both UMR106 and MC3T3E1 osteoblastic lines showed protein levels comparable to control conditions, demonstrating that they grew well on all surfaces. However, UMR106 cells showed a significant increase in proliferation on polyester-derived scaffolds (PBPL and PECL). The alkaline phosphatase activity of UMR106, an osteoblastic marker, was significantly higher than that of control plastic dishes. MC3T3E1 cells expressed similar levels of this differentiation marker in all polymeric matrices. We found similar collagen protein content after 48 h culture of UMR106 cells on all surfaces. However, important differences were evident in the MC3T3E1 line. In conclusion, the synthetic polymeric-based scaffold we have developed and studied supports adhesion, growth and differentiation of two osteoblastic cell lines, suggesting that they could be useful in bone tissue regeneration.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Biocompatibility and biodegradation of polyester and polyfumarate based-scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric scaffolds have been recently introduced for tissue regeneration purpose. In the present study we aimed to develop polymeric-based scaffolds for bone regeneration. Two polyesters, poly-β-propiolactone (PBPL), poly-ε-caprolactone (PCPL) and two polyfumarates, polydiisopropyl fumarate (PDIPF), polydicyclohexyl fumarate (PDCF) were chosen to prepare films which can support osteoblastic growth. Scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle were used to characterize the matrices. Biodegradation studies were performed both in PBS buffer and using an in vitro macrophage degradation assay. Mouse calvaria-derived MC3T3E1 cells and UMR106 rat osteosarcoma cell lines were used to perform biocompatibility and cytotoxicity studies. The polyesters, the most hydrophilic polymers studied, showed a rougher and more porous surfaces than the polyfumarates. Under acellular conditions, only PBPL was degraded by hydrolytic mechanisms. However, macrophages performed an active degradation of all polymeric films. Osteoblasts developed well-defined actin fibres without evidence of cytotoxicity when growing on the films. The number of UMR106 osteoblasts that adhered to the PBPL-based film was higher than that of the cells attached to the PECL and polyfumarates (PDIPF and PDCF) matrices. Both UMR106 and MC3T3E1 osteoblastic lines showed protein levels comparable to control conditions, demonstrating that they grew well on all surfaces. However, UMR106 cells showed a significant increase in proliferation on polyester-derived scaffolds (PBPL and PECL). The alkaline phosphatase activity of UMR106, an osteoblastic marker, was significantly higher than that of control plastic dishes. MC3T3E1 cells expressed similar levels of this differentiation marker in all polymeric matrices. We found similar collagen protein content after 48 h culture of UMR106 cells on all surfaces. However, important differences were evident in the MC3T3E1 line. In conclusion, the synthetic polymeric-based scaffold we have developed and studied supports adhesion, growth and differentiation of two osteoblastic cell lines, suggesting that they could be useful in bone tissue regeneration.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

AGEs and Bone Ageing in Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 and type 2 Diabetes mellitus are associated with a decrease in bone quality that leads to an increase in low-stress fractures, a condition called diabetic osteopathy. A growing body of evidence strongly indicates that one of the main pathological mechanisms of diabetic osteopathy is an excess accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on collagen of bone extracellular matrix. This accumulation increases exponentially during ageing, and is further increased in conditions of substrate carbonyl stress such as chronically uncompensated Diabetes mellitus. AGEs can form covalent crosslinks throughout collagen fibrils, progressively increasing bone fragility and decreasing bone post-yield strain and energy, fracture resistance and toughness. In addition, bone marrow mesenchymal cells, osteoblasts and osteoclasts express receptors such as RAGE that can bind AGEs with high affinity, altering normal cellular homeostasis. Binding of AGEs by RAGE diminishes the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal cells, inhibits osteoblastic bone-forming capacity and induces a long-term decrease in osteoclastic recruitment and bone-resorbing activity. Altogether, these cellular effects of AGEs depress bone turnover, and thus induce an even greater accumulation of AGEs. Recent in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro evidence indicates that anti-diabetic and anti-osteoporotic treatment may prevent the deleterious effects of AGEs on bone cells, providing alternative options for the pharmacological treatment of diabetic osteopathy.Laboratorio de Investigación en Osteopatías y Metabolismo Minera

Fumarate Copolymer–Chitosan Cross-Linked Scaffold Directed to Osteochondrogenic Tissue Engineering

Natural and synthetic cross-linked polymers allow the improvement of cytocompatibility and mechanical properties of the individual polymers. In osteochondral lesions of big size it will be required the use of scaffolds to repair the lesion. In this work a borax cross-linked scaffold based on fumarate-vinyl acetate copolymer and chitosan directed to osteochondrondral tissue engineering is developed. The cross-linked scaffolds and physical blends of the polymers are analyzed in based on their morphology, glass transition temperature, and mechanical properties. In addition, the stability, degradation behavior, and the swelling kinetics are studied. The results demonstrate that the borax cross-linked scaffold exhibits hydrogel behavior with appropriated mechanical properties for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration. Bone marrow progenitor cells and primary chondrocytes are used to demonstrate its osteo- and chondrogenic properties, respectively, assessing the osteoand chondroblastic growth and maturation, without evident signs of cytotoxicity as it is evaluated in an in vitro system.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y AplicadasLaboratorio de Investigación en Osteopatías y Metabolismo Minera

Osteogenic activity of vanadyl(IV)-ascorbate complex: evaluation of its mechanism of action

We have previously shown that different vanadium(IV) complexes regulate osteoblastic growth. Since vanadium compounds are accumulated in vivo in bone, they may affect bone turnover. The development of vanadium complexes with different ligands could be an alternative strategy of use in skeletal tissue engineering. In this study, we have investigated the osteogenic properties of a vanadyl(IV)–ascorbate (VOAsc) complex, as well as its possible mechanisms of action, on two osteoblastic cell lines in culture. VOAsc (2.5–25 M) significantly stimulated osteoblastic proliferation (113–125% basal, p < 0.01) in UMR106 cells, but not in the MC3T3E1 cell line. VOAsc (5–100 M) dose-dependently stimulated type-I collagen production (107–156% basal) in osteoblasts. After 3 weeks of culture, 5–25 M VOAsc increased the formation of nodules of mineralization in MC3T3E1 cells (7.7–20-fold control, p < 0.001). VOAsc (50–100 M) significantly stimulated apoptosis in both cell lines (170–230% basal, p < 0.02–0.002), but did not affect reactive oxygen species production. The complex inhibited alkaline and neutral phosphatases from osteoblastic extracts with semi-maximal effect at 10 M doses. VOAsc induced the activation and redistribution of P-ERK in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Inhibitors of the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway (PD98059 and UO126) partially blocked the VOAsc-enhanced osteoblastic proliferation and collagen production. In addition, wortmanin, a PI-3-K inhibitor and type-L channel blocker nifedipine also partially abrogated these effects of VOAsc on osteoblasts. Our in vitro results suggest that this vanadyl(IV)–ascorbate complex could be a useful pharmacological tool for bone tissue regeneration.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Osteogenic activity of vanadyl(IV)-ascorbate complex: evaluation of its mechanism of action

We have previously shown that different vanadium(IV) complexes regulate osteoblastic growth. Since vanadium compounds are accumulated in vivo in bone, they may affect bone turnover. The development of vanadium complexes with different ligands could be an alternative strategy of use in skeletal tissue engineering. In this study, we have investigated the osteogenic properties of a vanadyl(IV)–ascorbate (VOAsc) complex, as well as its possible mechanisms of action, on two osteoblastic cell lines in culture. VOAsc (2.5–25 M) significantly stimulated osteoblastic proliferation (113–125% basal, p < 0.01) in UMR106 cells, but not in the MC3T3E1 cell line. VOAsc (5–100 M) dose-dependently stimulated type-I collagen production (107–156% basal) in osteoblasts. After 3 weeks of culture, 5–25 M VOAsc increased the formation of nodules of mineralization in MC3T3E1 cells (7.7–20-fold control, p < 0.001). VOAsc (50–100 M) significantly stimulated apoptosis in both cell lines (170–230% basal, p < 0.02–0.002), but did not affect reactive oxygen species production. The complex inhibited alkaline and neutral phosphatases from osteoblastic extracts with semi-maximal effect at 10 M doses. VOAsc induced the activation and redistribution of P-ERK in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Inhibitors of the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway (PD98059 and UO126) partially blocked the VOAsc-enhanced osteoblastic proliferation and collagen production. In addition, wortmanin, a PI-3-K inhibitor and type-L channel blocker nifedipine also partially abrogated these effects of VOAsc on osteoblasts. Our in vitro results suggest that this vanadyl(IV)–ascorbate complex could be a useful pharmacological tool for bone tissue regeneration.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

A possible role of oxidative stress in the vanadium-induced cytotoxicity in the MC3T3E1 osteoblast and UMR106 osteosarcoma cell lines

The cytotoxicity and free radical production induced by vanadium compounds were investigated in an osteoblast (MC3T3E1) and an osteosarcoma (UMR106) cell lines in culture. Vanadate induced cell toxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased in a concentration-dependent manner (0.1–10 mM) after 4 h. The concentration–response curve of vanadate-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in MC3T3E1 cells was shifted to the left of the UMR106 curve, suggesting a greater sensitivity of the non-transformed cells in comparison to the osteosarcoma UMR106 cells. Supplementing with vitamin E acetate (80 mM) significantly inhibited ROS and TBARS formation but did not improve the vanadate-dependent decrease in cell number. Other vanadium compounds (vanadyl, pervanadate, and VO:Aspi, a complex of vanadyl(IV) with aspirin) showed different degrees of cell toxicity and induced oxidative stress. Altogether these results suggest that oxidative stress is involved in vanadium induced osteoblastic cytotoxicity, although the mechanism is unknown. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are circulating inhibitors of the pro-coagulant activity of tissue factor

Las lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDL) se cuentan entre los inhibidores circulantes de la actividad procoagulante del factor tisular. El objetivo del trabajo fue explorar el comportamiento electroforético de las proteínas involucradas y la cinética de inhibición que permitieran desarrollar un ensayo cuantitativo in vitro capaz de poner en evidencia dicha capacidad. El ensayo cinético consistió en incubar tromboplastina cálcica comercial a 37 ºC con volúmenes crecientes de LDL aislada por precipitación selectiva redisuelta; se realizó a distintos tiempos el tiempo de protrombina en una etapa; se calcularon las actividades respectivas y el porcentaje de inhibición de la coagulabilidad respecto a un blanco. Los resultados muestran inhibición creciente hasta los 60 min en el intervalo entre 0,013 y 0,026 nmol de apoB, parámetros que definen las condiciones seleccionadas del ensayo que aplicado sobre 30 muestras de personas normolipémicas de ambos sexos (edades entre 30 y 70 años) presentó una media +/- SEM de 2.512 +/- 101,4 expresadas en porcentaje de inhibición de la coagulabilidad / nmol de apoB, hallando diferencia significativa en la condición diabética. El comportamiento electroforético, evaluado a tiempo cero mostró dos bandas pre-beta y beta, atribuibles a la tromboplastina y a la LDL respectivamente; en tanto que luego de incubar 60 min se observó una única banda intensificada de migración pre-beta que se podría atribuir a la presencia del complejo LDL - factor tisular. Son necesarios estudios clínicos que permitan evaluar los alcances de aplicación de los ensayos propuestos.Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are circulating inhibitors of the pro-coagulant activity of tissue factor. The objective of the present work was to explore the electrophoretic mobility of the involved proteins and the kinetic of pro - coagulant activity inhibition, that allow us to propose a quantitative in vitro assay of potential clinical use. For the kinetic assay, commercial calcic thromboplastine was incubated with increasing volumes of redisolved - selectively precipitated LDL at 37 ºC. Then the prothrombine time in one step was made; the inhibitory activity and percentage of inhibition against a blank were calculated. The results show an increasing inhibition of procoagulant activity until 60 min between 0.013 – 0.026 nmol apoB. The conditions for the assay of 30 samples of normolipemic individuals (ages between 30 – 70 years old) were selected on the basis of these results. The assay of % coagulation inhibition / nmol apoB showed signficative differences for control group versus diabetic one. The protein electrophoresis showed two bands in pre-beta and beta positions corresponding to thromboplastine and LDL respectively at time zero. After 60 min of incubation one intense band corresponding to LDL – tissue factor complex can be observed. This work proposes a simple assay for the evaluation of LDL role in haemostatic control in pathological conditions, although further clinical assays are still required.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Biocompatibilidad de matrices basadas en polifumaratos para regeneración del tejido ósteo-cartilaginoso

Con los métodos disponibles hasta el momento para la reconstrucción de tejidos, la reparación de defectos del tejido cartilaginoso no ha sido alcanzada completamente. Por esta razón, se ha recurrido a la ingeniería de tejidos, que busca el desarrollo de estrategias para obtener sustitutos funcionales de tejido cartilaginoso, con el fin de ofrecer soluciones terapéuticas a pacientes con pérdida o daño de este tipo de tejido. Con este objetivo un polímero determinado puede adaptarse para la restauración del tejido dependiendo de la apropiada selección de sus co-monómeros o de su interacción con otro polímero mediante un proceso de entrecruzamiento. Nuestro grupo trabaja desde hace algunos años en técnicas de ingeniería de tejido óseo. Hemos desarrollado y caracterizado diferentes matrices poliméricas naturales o sintéticas con o sin el agregado de drogas para la reparación del hueso. Anteriormente mostramos los resultados de la síntesis y caracterización de matrices basadas en un copolímero acetato de vinilo (AcV)-fumarato de diisopropilo (FIP) entrecruzado con quitosano. También encontramos que células progenitoras de médula ósea (CPMO) crecieron sobre las matrices de manera comparable con la condición control (plato de cultivo). Además estudiamos la diferenciación osteoblástica en estas superficies y vimos que tanto la producción de colágeno tipo I como la mineralización de la matriz se incrementó de manera significativa en las CPMO crecidas sobre la membrana comparada con la condición control. En este trabajo presentamos los resultados de los ensayos de biocompatibilidad para estas membranas y su posible aplicación para la regeneración del tejido cartilaginoso. Para los ensayos se empleó un cultivo primario de condrocitos aislados de ratas Sprage-Dowley. Se estudió la adhesión (una hora) y proliferación (1, 2 y 7 días) de estas células sobre las matrices por el ensayo colorimétrico de MTT (Bromuro de 3-(4,5- dimetiltiazol-2-ilo)-2,5-difeniltetrazol). Para evaluar la producción de la matriz propia del tejido cartilaginoso se dejaron las células creciendo sobre la membrana luego de llegar confluencia durante 14 días y se midió la producción de glicosaminoglicanos (GAG) por el ensayo colorimétrico de azul de Alcian. Además estudiamos el swelling y la estabilidad de las matrices en buffer fosfato (pH 7,4). Nuestros resultados mostraron que la cinética de proliferación de los condrocitos sobre las membranas era comparable a la condición control&nbsp; (células crecidas directamente sobre el plato de cultivo) y que las células conservan su capacidad de producción de GAG aun creciendo sobre la membrana, aunque en menor porcentaje comparado con el control. Las matrices presentaron un hinchamiento característico de los hidrogeles (400% de hinchamiento a 60 minutos) y además mostraron una muy buena estabilidad en buffer fosfato, perdida en peso seco de 5% a los dos meses. Estos estudios preliminares indicarían que las membranas serían aptas para una adecuada regeneración del tejido ósteo-cartilaginoso