Self-powered intracellular nanogenerator attenuates inflammatory osteolysis through mitochondrial MRS2/Mg2+-mediated

Jiyuan Zuo1, Qining Guo1, Youzhun Fan2

  • 1Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510080, China.

Materials Today. Bio
|July 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study shows that piezoelectric nanomaterials can regulate macrophage polarization and inhibit bone resorption. This offers a potential non-invasive treatment for inflammatory bone loss by targeting mitochondrial pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Macrophages are key players in inflammatory bone resorption, with M1 types promoting it and M2 types inhibiting it.
  • Mitochondrial membrane potential changes during macrophage polarization and osteoclast differentiation, suggesting a potential regulatory target.
  • Existing methods to control macrophage polarization and osteoclastogenesis are limited, necessitating novel approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of piezoelectric nanomaterials to regulate macrophage polarization and osteoclast differentiation.
  • To explore the role of nano-electric fields generated by polarized BaTiO3 (pBTO) in modulating macrophage behavior.
  • To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, specifically focusing on mitochondrial function and Mg2+ transport.

Main Methods:

  • Application of polarized BaTiO3 (pBTO) nanomaterials to macrophage cells to induce wireless intracellular electric fields.
  • In vitro assessment of macrophage polarization (M1 vs. M2) and osteoclast differentiation.
  • In vivo studies using a calvarial inflammatory osteolysis mouse model.
  • Analysis of mitochondrial Mg2+ regulation via MRS2 and its impact on mitochondrial metabolism.

Main Results:

  • Wireless intracellular electric fields from pBTO successfully induced macrophage M2 polarization and inhibited M1 differentiation.
  • pBTO treatment suppressed osteoclast differentiation and activity in vitro.
  • In vivo experiments demonstrated that pBTO effectively inhibited inflammatory bone resorption in a mouse model.
  • The mechanism involves the regulation of mitochondrial Mg2+ transport via MRS2, influencing mitochondrial metabolism.

Conclusions:

  • Polarized BaTiO3 (pBTO) nanomaterials can modulate macrophage polarization and osteoclastogenesis through a nano-electric field mechanism.
  • The pBTO-mediated effects are linked to the regulation of mitochondrial Mg2+/MRS2 signaling and metabolism.
  • pBTO presents a promising, non-invasive therapeutic strategy for treating inflammatory and infectious osteolysis.