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Cellular reactions to biodegradable magnesium alloys on human growth plate chondrocytes and osteoblasts

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Abstract

Purpose

In recent decades operative fracture treatment using elastic stable intramedullary nails (ESINs) has mainly taken precedence over conservative alternatives in children. The development of biodegradable materials that could be used for ESINs would be a further step towards treatment improvement. Due to its mechanical and elastic properties, magnesium seems to be an ideal material for biodegradable implant application. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the cellular reaction to biodegradable magnesium implants in vitro.

Methods

Primary human growth plate chondrocytes and MG63 osteoblasts were used for this study. Viability and metabolic activity in response to the eluate of a rapidly and a slower degrading magnesium alloy were investigated. Furthermore, changes in gene expression were assessed and live cell imaging was performed.

Results

A superior performance of the slower degrading WZ21 alloy’s eluate was detected regarding cell viability and metabolic activity, cell proliferation and morphology. However, the ZX50 alloy’s eluate induced a favourable up-regulation of osteogenic markers in MG63 osteoblasts.

Conclusions

This study showed that magnesium alloys for use in biodegradable implant application are well tolerated in both osteoblasts and growth plate chondrocytes respectively.

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Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate support from the Laura Bassi Center of Expertise BRIC (Bioresorbable Implants for Children; FFG – Austria) and from the Staub/Kaiser Foundation, Switzerland. Furthermore, they would like to thank Mr. Rudolf Schmied for his valuable technical assistance in art work preparation and Ms. Aranka Schauer for her help in carrying out some of the experiments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Karin Pichler, Elisabeth Martinelli, Patrick Sadoghi & Annelie M. Weinberg

  2. Department of Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Tanja Kraus

  3. Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Via S.Sofia 87, 95100, Catania, Italy

    Giuseppe Musumeci

  4. Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Peter J. Uggowitzer

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 36, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Karin Pichler

Authors
  1. Karin Pichler
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  2. Tanja Kraus
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  3. Elisabeth Martinelli
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  5. Giuseppe Musumeci
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  7. Annelie M. Weinberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karin Pichler.

Additional information

Karin Pichler and Tanja Kraus contributed equally to this work.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Table 1

Concentrations of chemical substances used for the SBF (concentrations are indicated in mmol/L). (DOC 33.5 kb)

Table 2

Element concentration after 48 h of implant incubation given in mg/ml SBF. (DOC 39.5 kb)

Videos show the investigated cells treated with the different alloys’ eluates, SBF and untreated control cells during an incubation period of 48 h.

hGPC treated with the ZX50 eluate. (MPEG 2.66 MB)

hGPC treated with the WZ21 eluate. (MPEG 2.64 MB)

hGPC treated with SBF. (MPEG 2.35 MB)

Untreated hGPC. (MPEG 2.30 MB)

MG63 osteoblasts treated with the ZX50 eluate. (MPEG 2.70 MB)

MG63 osteoblasts treated with the WZ21 eluate. (MPEG 2.71 MB)

MG63 osteoblasts treated with SBF. (MPEG 2.71 MB)

Untreated MG63 osteoblasts. (MPEG 2.64 MB)

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Pichler, K., Kraus, T., Martinelli, E. et al. Cellular reactions to biodegradable magnesium alloys on human growth plate chondrocytes and osteoblasts. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 38, 881–889 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-2163-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-2163-3

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