Niobium-containing bioactive glasses modulate alkaline phosphatase activity during bone repair

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Orthopedic Research
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Bioactive glasses (BAG) are known for their osteoconductive properties.
• Niobium (Nb) incorporation into BAG may enhance their biological performance.
• Understanding the in vivo behavior of BAGNb is crucial for developing new bone regeneration strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the pre-clinical efficacy of niobium-containing bioactive glasses (BAGNb) in promoting bone repair.
• To assess the effect of BAGNb on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in an animal model.
• To compare the bone regenerative capacity of BAGNb with non-niobium BAG and autogenous bone (AB).

Main Methods:

• Niobium-containing bioactive glasses (BAGNb) and non-niobium BAG were prepared as powders and scaffolds.
• Surgically implanted BAGNb and BAG into the femur defects of male Wistar rats (n=10), using AB as a control.
• Collected blood serum at 15, 30, and 60 days to quantify ALP activity and harvested femurs for histological analysis of new bone formation.

Main Results:

• No postoperative complications were observed.
• Early-stage bone repair (15 days) showed increased ALP activity, particularly with powdered BAGNb.
• Histological analysis revealed progressive bone deposition from immature to mature, functional tissue over 60 days.
• While BAG powder showed less new bone at 15 days, no significant differences were found between groups at 30 and 60 days.

Conclusions:

• Niobium-containing bioactive glasses (BAGNb) safely and effectively induce bone repair in vivo.
• The observed modulation of ALP activity suggests a mechanism by which niobium-enhanced materials contribute to new bone formation.
• BAGNb represent a promising class of biomaterials for orthopedic applications requiring bone regeneration.