Application of nanoparticles in bone tissue engineering; a review on the molecular mechanisms driving osteogenesis

Enhancement of Bone Tissue Regeneration with Multi-Functional Nanoparticles by Coordination of Immune, Osteogenic, and Angiogenic Responses

Inorganic nanoparticles are promising materials for bone tissue engineering due to their chemical resemblance to the native bone structure. However, most studies are unable to capture the entirety of the defective environment, providing limited bone regenerative abilities. Hence, this study aims to develop a multifunctional nanoparticle to collectively control the defective bone niche, including immune, angiogenic, and osteogenic systems. The nanoparticles, self-assembled by biomimetic mineralization and tannic acid (TA)-mediated metal-polyphenol network (MPN), are released sustainably after the incorporation within a gelatin cryogel. The released nanoparticles display a reduction in M1 macrophages by means of reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination. Consequently, osteoclast maturation is also reduced, which is observed by the minimal formation of multinucleated cells (0.4%). Furthermore, the proportion of M2 macrophages, osteogenic differentiation, and angiogenic potential are consistently increased by the effects of magnesium from the nanoparticles. This orchestrated control of multiple systems influences the in vivo vascularized bone regeneration in which 80% of the critical-sized bone defect is regenerated with new bones with mature lamellar structure and arteriole-scale micro-vessels. Altogether, this study emphasizes the importance of the coordinated modulation of immune, osteogenic, and angiogenic systems at the bone defect site for robust bone regeneration.

Effect of magnesium oxide nanoparticles and LED irradiation on the viability and differentiation of human stem cells of the apical papilla

PURPOSE

Currently, regenerative endodontic treatments are gaining more and more attention, and stem cells play a significant role in these treatments. In order to enhance stem cell proliferation and differentiation, a variety of methods and materials have been used. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of magnesium oxide nanoparticles and LED irradiation on the survival and differentiation of human stem cells from apical papilla.

METHODS

The MTT test was used to measure the cell survival of SCAPs that had been exposed to different concentrations of magnesium oxide nanoparticles after 24 and 48 h, and the concentration with the highest cell survival rate was picked for further studies. The cells were classified into four distinct groups based on their treatment: (1) control, which received no exposure, (2) exposure to magnesium oxide nanoparticles, (3) exposure to light emitting diode (LED) irradiation (635 nm, 200 mW/cm2) for 30 s, (4) exposure simultaneously with magnesium oxide nanoparticles and LED irradiation. A green approach was employed to synthesize magnesium oxide nanoparticles. Quantitative real time PCR was used to measure the gene expression of osteo/odontogenic markers such as BSP, DSPP, ALP and DMP1 in all four groups after treatment, and Alizarin red S staining (ARS) was used to determine the osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs by demonstrating the Matrix mineralization.

RESULTS

The highest viability of SCAPs was observed after 24 h in concentration 1 and 10 µg/mL and after 48 h in concentration 1 µg/mL, which were not significantly different from the control group. In both times, the survival of SCAPs decreased with increasing concentration of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgONPs). According to the results of Real-time PCR, after 24 and 48 h, the highest differentiation of BSP, DMP1, ALP and DSPP genes was observed in the LED + MgONPs group, followed by MgONPs and then LED, and in all 3 experimental groups, it was significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05). Also, after 24 and 48 h, the density of ARS increased in all groups compared to the control group, and the highest density was observed in the MgONPs + LED and MgONPs groups.

CONCLUSION

This research concluded that exposure to SCAPs, MgONPs, and LED irradiation has a significant effect on enhancing gene expression of odontogenic/osteogenic markers and increasing matrix mineralization.

Harnessing the Potential of PLGA Nanoparticles for Enhanced Bone Regeneration

Recently, nanotechnologies have become increasingly prominent in the field of bone tissue engineering (BTE), offering substantial potential to advance the field forward. These advancements manifest in two primary ways: the localized application of nanoengineered materials to enhance bone regeneration and their use as nanovehicles for delivering bioactive compounds. Despite significant progress in the development of bone substitutes over the past few decades, it is worth noting that the quest to identify the optimal biomaterial for bone regeneration remains a subject of intense debate. Ever since its initial discovery, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has found widespread use in BTE due to its favorable biocompatibility and customizable biodegradability. This review provides an overview of contemporary advancements in the development of bone regeneration materials using PLGA polymers. The review covers some of the properties of PLGA, with a special focus on modifications of these properties towards bone regeneration. Furthermore, we delve into the techniques for synthesizing PLGA nanoparticles (NPs), the diverse forms in which these NPs can be fabricated, and the bioactive molecules that exhibit therapeutic potential for promoting bone regeneration. Additionally, we addressed some of the current concerns regarding the safety of PLGA NPs and PLGA-based products available on the market. Finally, we briefly discussed some of the current challenges and proposed some strategies to functionally enhance the fabrication of PLGA NPs towards BTE. We envisage that the utilization of PLGA NP holds significant potential as a potent tool in advancing therapies for intractable bone diseases.

Bifunctional tissue-engineered composite construct for bone regeneration: The role of copper and fibrin

Bifunctional tissue engineering constructs promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis are essential for bone regeneration. Metal ion-incorporated scaffolds and fibrin encapsulation attract much attention due to low cost, nontoxicity, and tunable control over ion and growth factor release. Herein, we investigated the effect of Cu.nHA/Cs/Gel scaffold and fibrin encapsulation on osteogenic and angiogenic differentiation of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) in vitro and in vivo. Cu-laden scaffolds were synthesized using salt leaching/freeze drying and were characterized using standard techniques. WJMSCs were isolated from the human umbilical cord and characterized. WJMSCs with or without encapsulating in fibrin were seeded onto scaffolds, followed by differentiating into the osteogenic lineage for 7 and 21 days. Osteogenic and angiogenic differentiation were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and Alizarin red staining. Then, scaffolds were implanted into critical-sized calvarial bone defects in rats and histological assessments were performed using hematoxylin/eosin, Masson's trichrome, and CD31 immunohistochemical staining at 4 and 12 weeks. The scaffolds had good physicochemical and biological characteristics suitable for cell attachment and growth. Cu and fibrin increased the expression of ALP, RUNX2, OCN, COLI, VEGF, and HIF1α in differentiated WJMSCs. Implanted scaffolds were also biocompatible and were integrated well with the host tissue. Increased collagen condensation, mineralization, and blood vessel formation were observed in Cu-laden scaffolds. The fibrin-encapsulated groups showed the highest collagen and cell densities, immune cell infiltration, and bone trabeculae. CD31-positive cell population increased with fibrin encapsulation and seeding onto Cu-laden scaffolds. Adding Cu to scaffolds and encapsulating cells in fibrin are promising methods that guide osteogenesis and angiogenesis cellular signaling, leading to better bone regeneration.

Hydroxyapatite fortified mango mousse: Formulation, characterization, and sensory data evaluation using fuzzy logic

In this experimental study, hydroxyapatite (HAp), as a valuable calcium source, was extracted from discarded goat bone; raw and nano-biogenic powders were prepared through calcination and ultra-sonication. Resultant powders were characterized by using various spectroscopy techniques. As per the findings of atomic absorption spectroscopy, raw and nano-biogenic powders depicted 1439.7 ± 0.12 and 3194.8 ± 0.07 ppm calcium content, respectively. The range of particle size of nano-biogenic and raw powders was 47-139 and 183 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed crystalline behavior whereas laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)-derived Ca/P-ratio endorsed excellence in nano-biogenic 1.76 against 1.63 in raw powder. In vitro bioavailability of calcium in raw and nano-biogenic powder was ∼36% and ∼39%, respectively. Next, the powders were further used to develop calcium-fortified mango mousse with varied formulations. A maximum overrun of 23.31% was found in the case of "Raw-A," whereas a maximum viscosity of 8489.98 mPa s was found in the case of "Nano-A." Sensory data of mango mousse were obtained by fuzzy logic method, and PCA ranked the Nano-B and Nano-A samples the best in terms of overall acceptability. Meanwhile, the consumer responses toward product likeness and/or dislikeness were recorded by the hedonic scale that endorsed Nano-A and Nano-B formulations as the most preferred samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The revolution in the eating habits of consumers from traditional foods to fast food imposes the development of new products having good nutritional values. Different waste biogenic food sources can provide an acceptable powdered form of ingredients for the development of novel food products. In this regard, the development of novel food products using calcium supplements has gained space in the food industry.

Polysaccharide-bioceramic composites for bone tissue engineering: A review

Limitations associated with conventional bone substitutes such as autografts, increasing demand for bone grafts, and growing elderly population worldwide necessitate development of unique materials as bone graft substitutes. Bone tissue engineering (BTE) would ensure therapy advancement, efficiency, and cost-effective treatment modalities of bone defects. One way of engineering bone tissue scaffolds by mimicking natural bone tissue composed of organic and inorganic phases is to utilize polysaccharide-bioceramic hybrid composites. Polysaccharides are abundant in nature, and present in human body. Biominerals, like hydroxyapatite are present in natural bone and some of them possess osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. Ion doped bioceramics could substitute protein-based biosignal molecules to achieve osteogenesis, vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and stress shielding. This review is a systemic summary on properties, advantages, and limitations of polysaccharide-bioceramic/ion doped bioceramic composites along with their recent advancements in BTE.

Fucoidan-Coated Silica Nanoparticles Promote the Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells into the Osteogenic Lineage

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are widely used in biomedical applications, such as cancer therapy/diagnosis or tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Herein, we synthesized SiNPs and modified them with sulfonic acid groups (by organosilylation followed by oxidation) or a sulfated polysaccharide (i.e., fucoidan, a seaweed biopolymer, by using electrostatic surface immobilization) due to the known capacity of the sulfonic/sulfate moieties to stabilize proteins and promote stem cell differentiation toward the osteogenic lineage. The developed pristine and functionalized nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), showing the monodisperse size distribution (between 360 and 450 nm) and the success of the coating/functionalization with fucoidan or sulfonic groups. The developed SiNPs (at a concentration of 50 μg/mL) were assessed through their contact with SaOs2 cells evidencing their cytocompatibility. Furthermore, the osteogenic differentiation of bmMSCs was evaluated by the quantification of ALP activity, as well as the expression profile of osteogenic-related genes, such as Runx2, ALP, and OP. We found that the coating of the SiNPs with fucoidan induced the osteogenic differentiation of bmMSCs, being an effective mediator of bone regeneration.

Effect of Storage Time and Temperature on the Bioactivity of a Chitosan-Derived Epigenetic Modulation Scaffold

The appropriate storage protocol is one of the main limitations of translating tissue engineering technology to commercialized clinical applications. Recently, the development of a chitosan-derived composite scaffold incorporated with bioactive molecules has been reported as an excellent material to repair a critical size bony defect in mice calvaria. This study aims to determine the storage time and appropriate storage temperature of Chitosan/Biphasic Calcium Phosphate/Trichostatin A composite scaffold (CS/BCP/TSA scaffold) in vitro. The mechanical properties and in vitro bioactivity of trichostatin A (TSA) released from CS/BCP/TSA scaffolds in different storage times and temperatures were evaluated. Different storage times (0, 14, and 28 days) and temperatures (−18, 4, and 25 °C) did not affect the porosity, compressive strength, shape memory, and amount of TSA released. However, scaffolds stored at 25 °C and 4 °C were found to lose their bioactivity after 3- and 7-day storage periods, respectively. Thus, the CS/BCP/TSA scaffold should be stored in freezing conditions to preserve the long-term stability of TSA.

Fabrication and characterization of apigenin-loaded chitosan/gelatin membranes for bone tissue engineering applications

Fabricating degradable polymer-based membranes has attracted much attention for guided bone regeneration. Chitosan/gelatin (Cs/Gel) composites are among the most known scaffolds with structural similarity to bone matrix and a high potential to support cell attachment and proliferation. Recently, plant-derived phenolic compound apigenin has been identified to direct the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and retain osteoblast metabolic functions. We incorporated apigenin into Cs/Gel membranes to improve apigenin bioavailability and get proper concentrations for efficient biological activities. Apigenin-loaded Cs/Gel membranes were prepared using a solution casting method with various apigenin contents (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 µM). Chemical composition, morphological characteristics, swelling behavior, degradation rate, and apigenin release from membranes were evaluated. Saos-2 osteoblasts were cultured on membranes to investigate cell-membrane interaction, proliferation, viability, and mineralization under the osteogenic culture condition. The results showed that membranes had homogeneous and moderate rough surfaces, facilitating osteoblast attachment and expansion. Swelling ratios exceeded 200%, reaching a stable rate in 24 h. Apigenin-loaded membranes degraded slower in vitro. Membranes containing lower apigenin concentrations exhibited a higher cargo release profile over 21 days. Apigenin improved osteoblast proliferation and viability, but the mineralization depended on apigenin dose, with optimized values at low concentrations. These data suggested that Cs/Gel membranes loaded with low apigenin contents improved osteoblast survival, proliferation, and mineralization.

Surface Biofunctionalization of Gadolinium Phosphate Nanobunches for Boosting Osteogenesis/Chondrogenesis Differentiation

In order to achieve smart biomedical micro/nanomaterials, promote interaction with biomolecules, improve osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation, exhibit better dispersion in bone implants and ultimately maximize functionality, we innovatively and successfully designed and synthesized polymer PBLG-modified GdPO₄·H₂O nanobunches by hydroxylation, silylation and glutamylation processes. The effects of different feeding ratios on the surface coating of GdPO₄·H₂O with Si-OH, the grafting γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) and the in situ ring-opening polymerization reaction of poly(g-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) were investigated, and the physical and chemical properties were characterized in detail. When GdPO₄·H₂O@SiO₂-APS:NCA = 4:1, the PBLG-g-GdPO₄·H₂O grafting rate was 5.93%, with good stability and dispersion in degradable polymeric materials. However, the MRI imaging signal was sequentially weakened as the modification process proceeded. Despite this, the biological effects had surprising findings. All the modifiers at appropriate concentrations were biocompatible and biologically active and the biomacromolecules of COL I and COL II in particular were expressed at least 3 times higher in GdPO₄·H₂O@SiO₂ compared to the PLGA. This indicates that the appropriate surface modification and functionalization of gadolinium-containing micro/nanomaterials can promote interaction with cells and encourage bone regeneration by regulating biomacromolecules and can be used in the field of biomedical materials.

Lipid Nanoparticles and Liposomes for Bone Diseases Treatment

Because of their outstanding biocompatibility, sufficient capacity to control drug release, and passive targeting capability, lipid nanoparticles are one of the world's most widely utilized drug delivery systems. However, numerous disadvantages limit the use of lipid nanoparticles in clinical settings, especially in bone regeneration, such as challenges in transporting, storing, and maintaining drug concentration in the local area. Scaffolds are frequently employed as implants to provide mechanical support to the damaged area or as diagnostic and imaging tools. On the other hand, unmodified scaffolds have limited powers in fostering tissue regeneration and curing illnesses. Liposomes offer a solid foundation for the long-term development of various commercial solutions for the effective drug delivery-assisted treatment of medical conditions. As drug delivery vehicles in medicine, adjuvants in vaccination, signal enhancers/carriers in medical diagnostics and analytical biochemistry, solubilizers for various ingredients as well as support matrices for various ingredients, and penetration enhancers in cosmetics are just a few of the industrial applications for liposomes. This review introduces and discusses the use of lipid nanoparticles and liposomes and the application of lipid nanoparticles and liposome systems based on different active substances in bone diseases.

Recent advances in gene therapy for bone tissue engineering

Autografting, a major treatment for bone fractures, has potential risks related to the required surgery and disease transmission. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the most common osteogenic factors used for bone-healing applications. However, BMP delivery can have shortcomings such as a short half-life and the high cost of manufacturing the recombinant proteins. Gene delivery methods have demonstrated promising alternative strategies for producing BMPs or other osteogenic factors using engineered cells. These approaches can also enable temporal overexpression and local production of the therapeutic genes in the target tissues. This review addresses recent progress on engineered viral, non-viral, and RNA-mediated gene delivery systems that are being used for bone repair and regeneration. Advances in clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9 genome engineering for bone tissue regeneration also is discussed.

The anti‐cancer effect of chitosan/resveratrol polymeric nanocomplex against triple‐negative breast cancer; an in vitro assessment

Herein, the authors synthesised chitosan nanoparticles (Cs NPs) as a resveratrol (RSV) carrier and evaluated their efficacy in stimulating apoptosis in MDA-MB 231 cells. Blank (Cs NPs) and RSV- Cs NPs (RSV-Cs NPs) were synthesised via ionic gelation and characterised by using fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope, dynamic light scattering/Zeta potential and RSV release. MDA-MB 231 cells were treated with RSV, Cs NPs and RSV-Cs NPs (24, 48, and 72 h), followed by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Cell toxicity was evaluated using lactate dehydrogenase assay, and real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to explore apoptosis induction. FTIR spectra confirmed the NPs via the formation of cross-linking bonds. Cs and RSV-Cs NPs sizes were about 75 and 198 nm with 14 and 24 mV zeta potentials. The RSV entrapment efficiency was 52.34 ± 0.16%, with an early rapid release followed by a sustained manner. Cs and RSV-Cs NPs inhibited cell proliferation at lower concentrations and IC50 values. RSV-Cs NPs had the most cytotoxic effect and stimulated intrinsic apoptotic pathway, indicated by increased Bcl-2-associated x (BAX), BAX/Bcl-2 ratio, P53 expressions, reduced Bcl-2 and upregulated caspases 3, 8 and 9. RSV-Cs NPs have a great potential to suppress invasive breast cancer cell proliferation by targeting mitochondrial metabolism and inducing the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Immunotherapy and immunoengineering for breast cancer; a comprehensive insight into CAR-T cell therapy advancements, challenges and prospects

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly prevalent solid cancer with a high-rise infiltration of immune cells, turning it into a significant candidate for tumor-specific immunotherapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are emerging as immunotherapeutic tools with genetically engineered receptors to efficiently recognize and attack tumor cells that express specific target antigens. Technological advancements in CAR design have provided five generations of CAR-T cells applicable to a wide range of cancer patients while boosting CAR-T cell therapy safety. However, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective against breast cancer because of the loss of specified antigens, the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor and CAR-T cell-induced toxicities. Next-generation CAR-T cells actively pass through the tumor vascular barriers, persist for extended periods and disrupt the tumor microenvironment (TME) to block immune escape.

CONCLUSION

CAR-T cell therapy embodies advanced immunotherapy for BC, but further pre-clinical and clinical assessments are recommended to achieve maximized efficiency and safety.

Functionalization of Electrospun Nanofiber for Bone Tissue Engineering

Bone-tissue engineering is an alternative treatment for bone defects with great potential in which scaffold is a critical factor to determine the effect of bone regeneration. Electrospun nanofibers are widely used as scaffolds in the biomedical field for their similarity with the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Their unique characteristics are: larger surface areas, porosity and processability; these make them ideal candidates for bone-tissue engineering. This review briefly introduces bone-tissue engineering and summarizes the materials and methods for electrospining. More importantly, how to functionalize electrospun nanofibers to make them more conducive for bone regeneration is highlighted. Finally, the existing deficiencies of functionalized electrospun nanofibers for promoting osteogenesis are proposed. Such a summary can lay the foundation for the clinical practice of functionalized electrospun nanofibers.

Nanomaterials in Bone Regeneration

Nanomaterials are promising in the development of innovative therapeutic options that include tissue and organ replacement, as well as bone repair and regeneration. The expansion of new nanoscaled biomaterials is based on progress in the field of nanotechnologies, material sciences, and biomedicine. In recent decades, nanomaterial systems have bridged the line between the synthetic and natural worlds, leading to the emergence of a new science called nanomaterial design for biological applications. Nanomaterials replicating bone properties and providing unique functions help in bone tissue engineering. This review article is focused on nanomaterials utilized in or being explored for the purpose of bone repair and regeneration. After a brief overview of bone biology, including a description of bone cells, matrix, and development, nanostructured materials and different types of nanoparticles are discussed in detail.

pH and lipase-responsive nanocarrier-mediated dual drug delivery system to treat periodontitis in diabetic rats

Precise and controlled drug delivery to treat periodontitis in patients with diabetes remains a significant clinical challenge. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems offer a potential therapeutic strategy; however, the low loading efficiency, non-responsiveness, and single effect of conventional nanoparticles hinder their clinical application. In this study, we designed a novel self-assembled, dual responsive, and dual drug-loading nanocarrier system, which comprised two parts: the hydrophobic lipid core formed by 1, 2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-Poly (ethylene glycol) (DSPE-PEG) loaded with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA); and a hydrophilic shell comprising a poly (amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM) that electrostatically adsorbed minocycline hydrochloride (Mino). This unique design allows the controlled release of antioxidant/ALA under lipase stimulation from periodontal pathogens and antimicrobial/Mino under the low pH of the inflammatory microenvironment. In vivo and in vitro studies confirmed that this dual nanocarrier could inhibit the formation of subgingival microbial colonies while promoting osteogenic differentiation of cells under diabetic pathological conditions, and ameliorated periodontal bone resorption. This effective and versatile drug-delivery strategy has good potential applications to inhibit diabetes-associated periodontal bone loss.

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The nanocarriers are pH and lipase sensitive for controlled drug release.

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The nanocarriers simultaneously exert antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and osteogenic functions via the controlled release of antibacterial/Mino and antioxidant/ALA.

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The nanocarriers offer a promising strategy to treat periodontitis under DM conditions.

The Effect of Nanoparticle-Incorporated Natural-Based Biomaterials towards Cells on Activated Pathways: A Systematic Review

The advancement of natural-based biomaterials in providing a carrier has revealed a wide range of benefits in the biomedical sciences, particularly in wound healing, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Incorporating nanoparticles within polymer composites has been reported to enhance scaffolding performance, cellular interactions and their physico-chemical and biological properties in comparison to analogue composites without nanoparticles. This review summarized the current knowledge of nanoparticles incorporated into natural-based biomaterials with effects on their cellular interactions in wound healing. Although the mechanisms of wound healing and the function of specific cells in wound repair have been partially described, many of the underlying signaling pathways remain unknown. We also reviewed the current understanding and new insights into the wingless/integrated (Wnt)/β-catenin pathway and other signaling pathways of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), Notch, and Sonic hedgehog during wound healing. The findings demonstrated that most of the studies reported positive outcomes of biomaterial scaffolds incorporated with nanoparticles on cell attachment, viability, proliferation, and migration. Combining therapies consisting of nanoparticles and biomaterials could be promising for future therapies and better outcomes in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Effect of ZnO-doped magnesium phosphate cements on osteogenic differentiation of mBMSCs in vitro

The insufficient osteogenesis of magnesium phosphate cements (MPCs) limits its further application. It is significant to develop a bioactive MPC with osteogenic properties. In this work, MPCs were reinforced by zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The composition, microstructure, setting time, compressive strength and degradation of ZnO-NPs/MPCs (ZNMPCs) were evaluated. The results showed that the setting times of MPCs were prolonged from 8.2 to 25.3 min (5.0ZNMPC). The exothermic temperatures were reduced from 45.8 ± 0.4℃ (MPCs) to 39.3 ± 0.5℃ (1.0ZNMPC). The compressive strength of ZNMPC composite cement with 1 wt. % ZnO-NPs (1.0ZNMPC) was the highest (42.9 MPa) among all the composite cements. Furthermore, the ZNMPCs were cultured with mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs). The results yielded that the ZNMPCs exhibited good cytocompatibility with enhanced differentiation, proliferation, and mineralization on mBMSCs, and it also pronouncedly elevated the expressions of genes and proteins involving osteogenesis. These findings suggested that ZNMPCs could drive the differentiation toward osteogenesis and mineralization of mBMSCs, providing a simple way to the MPC with enhanced osteogenesis for further orthopedic applications.

The Application of Nanoparticles in Diagnosis and Treatment of Kidney Diseases

Nanomedicine is currently showing great promise for new methods of diagnosing and treating many diseases, particularly in kidney disease and transplantation. The unique properties of nanoparticles arise from the diversity of size effects, used to design targeted nanoparticles for specific cells or tissues, taking renal clearance and tubular secretion mechanisms into account. The design of surface particles on nanoparticles offers a wide range of possibilities, among which antibodies play an important role. Nanoparticles find applications in encapsulated drug delivery systems containing immunosuppressants and other drugs, in imaging, gene therapies and many other branches of medicine. They have the potential to revolutionize kidney transplantation by reducing and preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury, more efficiently delivering drugs to the graft site while avoiding systemic effects, accurately localizing and visualising the diseased site and enabling continuous monitoring of graft function. So far, there are known nanoparticles with no toxic effects on human tissue, although further studies are still needed to confirm their safety.