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Effects of a Hydroxyapatite-based Biomaterial on Gene Expression in Osteoblast-like Cells

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and
² Research Center for the Study of Periodontal Diseases, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44100 Ferrara, Italy

^* corresponding author, sen{at}unife.it

Biostite^® is a hydroxyapatite-derived biomaterial that is used in periodontal and bone reconstructive procedures due to its osteoconductive properties. Since the molecular effects of this biomaterial on osteoblasts are still unknown, we decided to assess whether it may specifically modulate osteoblast functions in vitro. We found that a brief exposure to Biostite^® significantly reduced the proliferation of MG-63 and SaOS-2 osteoblast-like cells to ~ 50% of the plateau value. Furthermore, gene array analysis of MG-63 cells showed that Biostite^® caused a differential expression of 37 genes which are involved in cell proliferation and interaction, and related to osteoblast differentiation and tissue regeneration. Results were confirmed by RT-PCR, Western blot, and by an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) specific activity. Biostite^® also increased levels of polycystin-2, a mechano-sensitive Ca²⁺ channel, a promising new marker of bone cell differentiation. Biostite^®, therefore, may directly affect osteoblasts by enhancing chondro/osteogenic gene expression and cytoskeleton-related signaling pathways, which may contribute to its clinical efficacy.

KEY WORDS: hydroxyapatite-based biomaterial • cell proliferation • gene expression profile • osteoblasts • biomaterial • gene expression • polycystin-2