Evaluation of cytocompatibility of bioglass-niobium granules with human primary osteoblasts: a multiparametric approach

The pursuit for an ideal bone substitute remains the main focus of many tissue engineering researchers. Among the myriad types of grafts available, synthetic bone grafts are of special importance, because it is available in large amounts, reduce the surgical trauma and eliminate the risk of diseases' transmission. In this context, bioactive glasses have received attention mostly due to its described biocompatibility and rapid rate of surface reactivity when compared with other materials, allowing for faster interactions with the local tissue. The addition of niobium to this material has been shown as increasing the chemical resistance of the compound and providing greater stability. However, alterations on the chemical composition of biomaterials may impact on its biocompatibility. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of bioglass-Niobium (BgNb) granules, in comparison with standard commercial bioglass (Biogran®) throughout an interesting multiparametrical approach, employing Phenol 2% and dense polystyrene beads as positive and negative controls, respectively. Extracts from each material were prepared by 24 hours incubation in culture medium (DMEM). Human primary osteoblasts were then exposed for 24 hours to each extract and cell viability was evaluated by three parameters: mitochondrial activity (XTT method), membrane integrity (neutral red dye uptake) and cell density (crystal violet dye exclusion test). BgNb extracts were highly compatible, since the levels of viable cells were similar to the control group (unexposed cells), on all parameters studied. The mean cell density on the Biogran® group was slightly lower than BgNb, even though this material was also non-cytotoxic. The excellent in vitro response for BgNb granules indicates the suitability of this material to future studies on its biological and physical properties when applied in vivo.