Fluoride-induced oxidative stress in three-dimensional culture of OS732 cells and rats

Exposure to excessive fluoride poses a threat to human health, including increased susceptibility to developing the skeletal fluorosis. Despite its recognized importance as an endemic disease, little is known about how fluoride directly impacts on osteoblasts. We previously reported that fluoride-stimulating monolayer-cultured osteoblast proliferation or inhibiting cell viability depended on fluoride-exposure concentration and period, both accompanied with active oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to provide extra insight into skeletal fluorosis by comparing their regulation of oxidative stress in rats and OS732 cells (a human osteoblast-like cell line) cultured in the three-dimensional approach. Our in vivo and in vitro studies proved that exposure to fluoride promoted varying extents of oxidative stress. Three-dimensional cultured OS732 cells revealed the action of fluoride on cell viability from excitatory to inhibitory trend according to fluoride-exposure concentration and time. The study provided insight into the mechanism of skeletal fluorosis. Also, this study distinguished itself by identifying oxidative stress as a potential modulator of osteogenesis in skeletal fluorosis.