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A Comparative Study on the Influence of Zirconia and Titanium Nanoparticles on the Functionality of Osteocytes In
Mustafa Hayder Matouk1, K G Aghila Rani2, Waad Kheder3
1Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE, sharjah.ac.ae.
Introduction And Aim:
The aim of this study was to compare the influence of zirconia dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2-NPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) on the functionality of osteocytes in vitro.
Methods:
MLO-Y4 osteocytic cells were treated with varying concentrations of ZrO2-NPs or TiO2-NPs for viability studies. Apoptosis assays following treatment with 100 and 500 µg/mL of ZrO2-NPs or TiO2-NPs for 72 h were performed. Sclerostin (SOST) levels were assessed at 24 and 72 h, while receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured at 72 h by ELISA and real-time PCR analysis.
Results:
Viability assays revealed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity for both types of nanoparticles, with TiO2-NPs reducing cell viability at 100 µg/mL within 24 h, while ZrO2-NPs promoted proliferation at lower concentrations but showed similar cytotoxicity at higher doses. Apoptosis and necrosis assays revealed a dose-dependent cytotoxic response, with TiO2-NPs inducing significant cell death at 100 µg/mL, while ZrO2 NPs showed minimal effects at the same concentration; at 500 µg/mL, both nanoparticles markedly increased apoptosis, with TiO2-NPs eliciting higher apoptosis. SOST gene expression and SOST release were significantly enhanced following exposure to both ZrO2-NPs and TiO2-NPs, with TiO2-NPs inducing significantly higher levels. TiO2-NPs upregulated RANKL while downregulating OPG both at the gene and protein levels. Although ZrO2-NPs exhibited a similar trend, their impact on SOST expression, RANKL, and OPG release was notably lower, suggesting a potentially less disruptive impact on bone remodeling.
Conclusion:
The findings offer valuable insights into the osteocyte-mediated effects of implant-related nanoparticles. ZrO2-NPs are a less disruptive alternative to TiO2-NPs for bone implants, offering insights into osteocyte-mediated remodeling and guiding biomaterial selection for implant longevity.
