Influence of pH in the synthesis of calcium phosphate based nanostructures with enhanced bioactivity and pro-angiogenic properties

In synthetic fabrication, the process parameters decide the growth nucleation, phase translation, and the evolution of morphological facets of nanostructured materials. This work demonstrates the formation of different crystallographic phases of calcium phosphate by the influence of pH from acidic to alkaline conditions and also investigated their bone regeneration, protein adsorption, and pro-angiogenic properties. Present results illustrate that the alteration of pH is the crucial factor for the synthesis of calcium phosphate (CP) phases. The structural analysis reveals the monetite (CaHPO₄ ) phase with a triclinic crystal system for pH 5, dual-phase of monetite combined with hydroxyapatite at the neutral pH 7, and pure phase of hydroxyapatite (Ca₁₀ [PO₄ ]₆ OH₂ ) with hexagonal structure at pH 10. Microscopic analysis portrays the cubic and rod-like morphologies by changing the pH values. FTIR and RAMAN spectroscopic analyses confirm the stretching, bending, and vibrational modes of dominant phosphate groups of different CP phases. Further, the biocompatibility of the prepared CP phases was examined by hemolysis assay, which showed less than 2% of lysis and enhanced cell viability. Moreover, the bioactivity study revealed rapid mineralization and a higher protein adsorption rate for the monetite CP phase (M-CP). Subsequently, the chick embryo angiogenesis assay elucidated 33% higher neovascularization for M-CP compared with the other two CP phases. The fabricated M-CP nanostructure constitutes a promising candidate for biomedical applications.

Bioceramics Based on β-Calcium Pyrophosphate

Ceramic samples based on β-calcium pyrophosphate β-Ca₂P₂O₇ were prepared from powders of γ-calcium pyrophosphate γ-Ca₂P₂O₇ with preset molar ratios Ca/P = 1, 0.975 and 0.95 using firing at 900, 1000, and 1100 °C. Calcium lactate pentahydrate Ca(C₃H₅O₃)₂⋅5H₂O and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate Ca(H₂PO₄)₂⋅H₂O were treated in an aqua medium in mechanical activation conditions to prepare powder mixtures with preset molar ratios Ca/P containing calcium hydrophosphates with Ca/P = 1 (precursors of calcium pyrophosphate Ca₂P₂O₇). These powder mixtures containing calcium hydrophosphates with Ca/P = 1 and non-reacted starting salts were heat-treated at 600 °C after drying and disaggregation in acetone. Phase composition of all powder mixtures after heat treatment at 600 °C was presented by γ-calcium pyrophosphate γ-Ca₂P₂O₇ according to the XRD data. The addition of more excess of monocalcium phosphate monohydrate Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O (with appropriate molar ratio of Ca/P = 1) to the mixture of starting components resulted in lower dimensions of γ-calcium pyrophosphate (γ-Ca₂P₂O₇) individual particles. The grain size of ceramics increased both with the growth in firing temperature and with decreasing molar ratio Ca/P of powder mixtures. Calcium polyphosphate (t _melt = 984 °C), formed from monocalcium phosphate monohydrate Ca(H₂PO₄)₂⋅H₂O, acted similar to a liquid phase sintering additive. It was confirmed by tests in vitro that prepared ceramic materials with preset molar ratios Ca/P = 1, 0.975, and 0.95 and phase composition presented by β-calcium pyrophosphate β-Ca₂P₂O₇ were biocompatible and could maintain bone cells proliferation.

Probing the Structure, Cytocompatibility, and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Silver-, Strontium-, and Zinc-Doped Monetite

Calcium phosphate phases are among the most widely accepted compounds for biomaterial applications, of which the resorbable phases have gained particular attention in recent years. Brushite and its anhydrous form monetite are among the most interesting resorbable calcium phosphate phases that can be applied as cements and for in situ fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) implants. Of these two dicalcium phosphate compounds, monetite is more stable and undergoes slower degradation than brushite. The purpose of the current study is to synthesize and dope monetite with the antimicrobial elements silver and zinc and the osteoinductive element strontium and investigate the possible structural variations as well as their biocompatibility and antimicrobial effectiveness. For this, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) were used to thoroughly study the synthesized structures. Moreover, the ASTM E-2149-01 protocol and a cell proliferation assay were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and the cytocompatibility of the different phases with the Soas-2 cell line, respectively. The results confirm the successful synthesis and doping procedures, such that zinc was the most incorporated element into the monetite phase and strontium was the least incorporated element. The microbiological studies revealed that silver is a very effective antimicrobial agent at low concentrations but unsuitable at high concentrations because its cytotoxicity would prevail. On the other hand, doping the compounds with zinc led to a reasonable antimicrobial activity without compromising the biocompatibility to obviously high concentrations. The study also highlights that strontium, widely known for its osteoinductivity, bears an antimicrobial effect at high concentrations. The generated doped compounds could be beneficial for prospective studies as bone cements or for scaffold biomaterial applications.

Nanostructured Zn-Substituted Monetite Based Material Induces Higher Bone Regeneration Than Anorganic Bovine Bone and β-Tricalcium Phosphate in Vertical Augmentation Model in Rabbit Calvaria

The capacity of a nanostructured multicomponent material composed of Zn-substituted monetite, amorphous calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite and silica gel (MSi) to promote vertical bone augmentation was compared with anorganic bovine bone (ABB) and synthetic β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). The relation between biological behavior and physicochemical properties of the materials was also studied. The in vivo study was conducted in a vertical bone augmentation model in rabbit calvaria for 10 weeks. Significant differences in the biological behavior of the materials were observed. MSi showed significantly higher bone regeneration (39%) than ABB and β-TCP (24%). The filled cylinder volume was similar in MSi (92%) and ABB (91%) and significantly lower in β-TCP (81%) implants. In addition, β-TCP showed the highest amount of non-osteointegrated particles (17%). MSi was superior to the control materials because it maintains the volume of the defect almost full, with the highest bone formation, the lowest number of remaining particles, which are almost fully osteointegrated and having the lowest amount of connective tissue. Besides, the bone formed was mature, with broad trabeculae, high vascularization and osteogenic activity. MSi resorbs gradually over time with an evident increment of the porosity and simultaneous colonization for vascularized new bone. In addition, the osteoinductive behavior of MSi material was evidenced.

Occluding dentin tubules with monetite paste in vitro

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed to evaluate the occlusion of monetite paste on dentine tubule and provide a new potential method for treating dentine hypersensitivity.

METHODS

Calcium oxide, strontium chloride, and polyethylene glycol phosphate were mixed in a certain proportion and ground in a planetary ball mill. The reaction was carried out by adjusting the pH to obtain monetite and hydroxyapatite paste. The morphological characteristics of the paste were observed through scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structure and composition were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The extracted third molar was selected to undergo demineralization to establish the in vitro study model of dentin hypersensitivity. The samples were randomly divided into four groups: blank control group (treated with distilled water), casein peptide phosphate-amorphic calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) group, monetite paste group, and hydroxyapatite paste group. Each group was used to scrub the dentin surface with the corresponding materials for 7 days. The morphological characteristics of the dentin surface and section were observed through SEM, the microhardness of the dentin before and after mineralization was analyzed with a microhardness tester, and the composition of the deposits on the surface of the mineralized samples was examined through XRD.

RESULTS

XRD and FTIR showed that the composition of the paste was mainly monetite, and the composition of hydroxyapatite paste was mainly composed of hydroxyapatite. SEM revealed that the size of the crystal particles of the synthesized paste was tens to hundreds of nanometers. Monetite and hydroxyapatite paste could produce a thicker mineralization layer on the dentin surface, and the mineralization of the dentin tubules of monetite was deeper than that of hydroxyapatite paste. The microhardness of the monetite paste group was significantly less than those of the hydroxyapatite paste groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Monetite paste could effectively block the exposed dentin tubules and be used for treating dentin hypersensitivity.

Enhanced fluoride removal behaviour and mechanism by dicalcium phosphate from aqueous solution

Dicalcium phosphate was prepared by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a calcium chelating agent, and further explored to remove the fluoride ions from aqueous solution. The as-prepared samples main existed in the monetite phase from the result of XRD. The dried sample consisted of small nanoparticles and displayed irregular particles with a size of ca. 3 μm due to the agglomeration. The fluoride removal ability was evaluated by batch adsorption experiments. The as-prepared adsorbent exhibited the enhanced fluoride removal behaviour with the maximum adsorption capacity of 66.72 mg/g from the Langmuir isotherm model, which was higher than that of other previously reported calcium phosphate. The adsorbent could be utilized in the wide pH range of 3-10. The adsorption kinetics could be better described by the pseudo-second-order model than first-second-order model. The co-existing anions had a negligible influence on the fluoride adsorption. The investigation of adsorption mechanism suggested that the chemical reaction and/or dissolution - precipitation mechanism should be dominant in the fluoride adsorption process, accompanying with electronic interaction and ions exchange, which enhanced the fluoride removal performance.

Smart Injectable Self-Setting Monetite Based Bioceramics for Orthopedic Applications

The present study is the first of its kind dealing with the development of a specific bioceramic which qualifies as a potential material in hard-tissue replacements. Specifically, we report the synthesis and evaluation of smart injectable calcium phosphate bone cement (CPC) which we believe will be suitable for various kinds of orthopedic and spinal-fusion applications. The smart nature of this next generation orthopedic implant is attained by incorporating piezoelectric barium titanate (BT) particles into monetite-based (dicalcium phosphate anhydrous, DCPA) CPC composition. The main goal is to take advantage of the piezoelectric properties of BT, as electromechanical effect plays a vital role in fracture healing at the defect site and bone integration with the implant. Furthermore, radiopacity of BT would help in easy detection of the CPC presence at the fracture site during surgery. Results reveal that BT addition favors important properties of bone cement such as good compressive strength, injectability, bioactivity, biocompatibility, and even washout resistance. Most importantly, the self-setting nature of the bone cements are not compromised with BT incorporation. The in vitro results confirm that the developed bone-cement abides by the standard orthopedic requirements making it apt for real-time prosthetic materials.

Bisphosphonate-Functionalized Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles for the Delivery of the Bromodomain Inhibitor JQ1 in the Treatment of Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common neoplasia among children, and its survival statistics have been stagnating since the combinatorial anticancer therapy triad was first introduced. Here, we report on the assessment of the effect of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles loaded with medronate, the simplest bisphosphonate, as a bone-targeting agent and JQ1, a small-molecule bromodomain inhibitor, as a chemotherapeutic in different 2D and 3D K7M2 OS in vitro models. Both additives decreased the crystallinity of HAp, but the effect was more intense for medronate because of its higher affinity for HAp. As the result of PO₄^3--NH⁺ binding, JQ1 shielded the surface phosphates of HAp and pushed its surface charge to more positive values, exhibiting the opposite effect from calcium-blocking medronate. In contrast to the faster and more exponential release of JQ1 from monetite, its release from HAp nanoparticles followed a zero-order kinetics, but 98% of the payload was released after 48 h. The apoptotic effect of HAp nanoparticles loaded with JQ1, with medronate and with both JQ1 and medronate, was selective in 2D culture: pronounced against the OS cells and nonexistent against the healthy fibroblasts. While OS cell invasion was significantly inhibited by all of the JQ1-containing HAp formulations, that is, with and without medronate, all of the combinations of the targeting compound, medronate, and the chemotherapeutic, JQ1, delivered using HAp, but not HAp alone, inhibited OS cell migration from the tumor spheroids. JQ1 delivered using HAp had an effect on tumor migration, invasion, and apoptosis even at extremely low, subnanomolar concentrations, at which no effect of JQ1 per se was observed, meaning that this form of delivery could help achieve a multifold increase of this drug's efficacy. More than 80% of OS cells internalized JQ1-loaded HAp nanoparticles after 24 h of coincubation, suggesting that this augmentation of the activity of JQ1 may be due to the intracellular delivery and sustained release of the drug enabled by HAp. In addition to the reduction of the OS cell viability, the reduction of the migration and invasion radii was observed in OS tumor spheroids challenged with even JQ1-free medronate-functionalized HAp nanoparticles, demonstrating a definite anticancer activity of medronate alone when combined with HAp. The effect of medronate-functionalized JQ1-loaded HAp nanoparticles was most noticeable against OS cells differentiated into an osteoblastic lineage, in which case they surpassed in effect pure JQ1 and medronate-free compositions. The activity of JQ1 was mediated through increased Ezrin expression and decreased RUNX2 expression and was MYC and FOSL1 independent, but these patterns of gene expression changed in cells challenged with the nanoparticulate form of delivery, having been accompanied by the upregulation of RUNX2 and downregulation of Ezrin in OS cells treated with medronate-functionalized JQ1-loaded HAp nanoparticles.

Controlling Bone Graft Substitute Microstructure to Improve Bone Augmentation

Vertical bone augmentation procedures are frequently carried out to allow successful placement of dental implants in otherwise atrophic ridges and represent one of the most common bone grafting procedures currently performed. Onlay autografting is one of the most prevalent and predictable techniques to achieve this; however, there are several well documented complications and drawbacks associated with it and synthetic alternatives are being sought. Monetite is a bioresorbable dicalcium phosphate with osteoconductive and osteoinductive potential that has been previously investigated for onlay bone grafting and it is routinely made by autoclaving brushite to simultaneously sterilize and phase convert. In this study, monetite disc-shaped grafts are produced by both wet and dry heating methods which alter their physical properties such as porosity, surface area, and mechanical strength. Histological observations after 12 weeks of onlay grafting on rabbit calvaria reveal higher bone volume (38%) in autoclaved monetite grafts in comparison with the dry heated monetite grafts (26%). The vertical bone height gained is similar for both the types of monetite grafts (up to 3.2 mm). However, it is observed that the augmented bone height is greater in the lateral than the medial areas of both types of monetite grafts. It is also noted that the higher porosity of autoclaved monetite grafts increases the bioresorbability, whereas the dry heated monetite grafts having lower porosity but higher surface area resorb to a significantly lesser extent. This study provides information regarding two types of monetite onlay grafts prepared with different physical properties that can be further investigated for clinical vertical bone augmentation applications.

Assembly of Layered Monetite-Chitosan Nanocomposite and Its Transition to Organized Hydroxyapatite

Bioinspired synthesis of hierarchically structured calcium phosphate (CaP) material is a highly promising strategy for developing improved bone substitute materials. However, synthesis of CaP materials with outstanding mechanical properties still remains an ongoing challenge. Inspired by the formation of lamellar structure in nacre, we designed an organic matrix composed of chitosan and cis-butenediolic acid (maleic acid, MAc) that could assemble into a layered complex and further guide the mineralization of monetite crystals, resulting in the formation of organized and parallel arrays of monetite platelets with a brick-and-mortar structure. Using the layered monetite-chitosan composite as a precursor, we were able to synthesize hydroxyapatite (HAp) with multiscale hierarchically ordered structure via a topotactic phase transformation process. On the nanoscale, needlelike HAp crystallites assembled into organized bundles that aligned to form highly oriented plates on the microscale. On the large-scale level, these plates with different crystal orientations were stacked together to form a layered structure. The organized structures and composite feature yielded CaP materials with improved mechanical properties close to those of bone. Our study introduces a biomimetic approach that may be practical for the design of advanced, mechanically robust materials for biomedical applications.

Structural changes and biological responsiveness of an injectable and mouldable monetite bone graft generated by a facile synthetic method

Brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate) and monetite (dicalcium phosphate anhydrous) are of considerable interest in bone augmentation owing to their metastable nature in physiological fluids. The anhydrous form of brushite, namely monetite, has a finer microstructure with higher surface area, strength and bioresorbability, which does not transform to the poorly resorbable hydroxyapatite, thus making it a viable alternative for use as a scaffold for engineering of bone tissue. We recently reported the formation of monetite cements by a simple processing route without the need of hydrothermal treatment by using a high concentration of sodium chloride in the reaction mix of β-tricalcium phosphate and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate. In this paper, we report the biological responsiveness of monetite formed by this method. The in vitro behaviour of monetite after interaction and ageing both in an acellular and cellular environment showed that the crystalline phase of monetite was retained over three weeks as evidenced from X-ray diffraction measurements. The crystal size and morphology also remained unaltered after ageing in different media. Human osteoblast cells seeded on monetite showed the ability of the cells to proliferate and express genes associated with osteoblast maturation and mineralization. Furthermore, the results showed that monetite could stimulate osteoblasts to undergo osteogenesis and accelerate osteoblast maturation earlier than cells cultured on hydroxyapatite scaffolds of similar porosity. Osteoblasts cultured on monetite cement also showed higher expression of osteocalcin, which is an indicator of the maturation stages of osteoblastogenesis and is associated with matrix mineralization and bone forming activity of osteoblasts. Thus, this new method of fabricating porous monetite can be safely used for generating three-dimensional bone graft constructs.

In vitro osteoinductive potential of porous monetite for bone tissue engineering

Tissue engineering-based bone grafts are emerging as a viable alternative treatment modality to repair and regenerate tissues damaged as a result of disease or injury. The choice of the biomaterial component is a critical determinant of the success of the graft or scaffold; essentially, it must induce and allow native tissue integration, and most importantly mimic the hierarchical structure of the native bone. Calcium phosphate bioceramics are widely used in orthopaedics and dentistry applications due to their similarity to bone mineral and their ability to induce a favourable biological response. One such material is monetite, which is biocompatible, osteoconductive and has the ability to be resorbed under physiological conditions. The osteoinductive properties of monetite in vivo are known; however, little is known of the direct effect on osteoinduction of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. In this study, we evaluated the potential of monetite to induce and sustain human mesenchymal stem cells towards osteogenic differentiation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were seeded on the monetite scaffold in the absence of differentiating factors for up to 28 days. The gene expression profile of bone-specific markers in cells on monetite scaffold was compared to the control material hydroxyapatite. At day 14, we observed a marked increase in alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteonectin expressions. This study provides evidence of a suitable material that has potential properties to be used as a tissue engineering scaffold.

Development of monetite-nanosilica bone cement: a preliminary study

In this paper, we reported the results of our efforts in developing DCPA/nanosilica composite orthopedic cement. It is motivated by the significances of DCPA and silicon in bone physiological activities. More specifically, this paper examined the effects of various experimental parameters on the properties of such composite cements. In this work, DCPA cement powders were synthesized using a microwave synthesis technique. Mixing colloidal nanosilica directly with synthesized DCPA cement powders can significantly reduce the washout resistance of DCPA cement. In contrast, a DCPA-nanosilica cement powder prepared by reacting Ca(OH)2 , H3 PO4 and nanosilica together showed good washout resistance. The incorporation of nanosilica in DCPA can improve compressive strength, accelerate cement solidification, and intensify surface bioactivity. In addition, it was observed that by controlling the content of NaHCO3 during cement preparation, the resulting composite cement properties could be modified. Allowing for the development of different setting times, mechanical performance and crystal features. It is suggested that DCPA-nanosilica composite cement can be a potential candidate for bone healing applications.