Elisa Boanini

Magnesium and strontium doped octacalcium phosphate thin films by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is a promising alternative to hydroxyapatite as biomaterial for hard tissue repair. In this study we successfully applied Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) to deposit Mg and Sr doped OCP (MgOCP and SrOCP), as well as OCP, thin films on titanium substrates. OCP, Mg-substituted and Sr-substituted OCP were synthesized in aqueous medium, then were suspended in deionised water, frozen at liquid nitrogen temperature and used as targets for MAPLE experiments. The depositions were carried out using a KrF* excimer laser source (λ=248 nm, τ(FWHM)=25 ns) in mild conditions of temperature and pressure. The results of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy investigations revealed that the OCP thin films are deposited in the form of cauliflower-like aggregates and droplets, as well as crystal fragments, with a homogeneous distribution of magnesium and strontium on the surface of the coatings. Human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells were cultured on the different biomaterials up to 14days. MgOCP and SrOCP coatings promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation with respect to OCP. Under these experimental conditions, the production of procollagen-type I, transforming growth factor-β1, alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin indicated that the level of differentiation of the cells grown on the different coatings increased in the order OCP

Combined effect of strontium and zoledronate on hydroxyapatite structure and bone cell responses

The influence of the simultaneous presence of the two inhibitors of bone degradation, strontium and zoledronate, on the direct synthesis of hydroxyapatite was explored in the range of Sr concentration up to 50 atom% at two different bisphosphonate concentrations (ZOL7 and ZOL14). The results of structural analysis indicated that HA can be obtained as a single crystalline phase up to a Sr concentration in solution of 20 and 10 atom% within the ZOL7 and ZOL14 series respectively. Both Sr substitution and ZOL incorporation affect the length of the coherently scattering crystalline domains and the dimensions of HA nanocrystals. At greater Sr content, XRD full profile fitting data indicate that zoledronate provokes the segregation of Sr in two crystalline apatitic phases, at different strontium content. Co-cultures of osteoblast-like MG63 cells and human osteoclast show that ZOL displays a greater inhibitory influence than Sr on osteoclast proliferation and activity. On the other hand, the results obtained on osteoblast surnatant and on gene expression indicate that Sr exerts a greater promotion on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. The co-presence of Sr and ZOL has a combined effect on the differentiation markers, so that HA containing about 4xa0wt% ZOL and 4 Sr atom%, and even more HA containing about 4xa0wt% ZOL and 8 Sr atom%, result the best compromise for osteoblast promotion and osteoclast inhibition.

Synthesis Route to Supported Gold Nanoparticle Layered Double Hydroxides as Efficient Catalysts in the Electrooxidation of Methanol

This work describes a new one-step method for the preparation of AuNP/LDH nanocomposites via the polyol route. The novelty of this facile, simple synthesis is the absence of additional reactants such as reductive agents or stabilizer, which gives the possibility to obtain phase-pure systems free of undesiderable effect. The AuNP formation is confirmed by SEM, TEM, PXRD, and XAS; moreover, the electrochemical characterization is also reported. The electrocatalytic behavior of AuNP/LDH nanocomposites has been investigated with respect to the oxidation of methanol in basic media and compared with that of pristine NiAl-Ac. The 4-fold highest catalytic efficiency observed with AuNP/LDH nanocomposites suggests the presence of a synergic effect between Ni and AuNP sites. The combination of these experimental findings with the low-cost synthesis procedure paves the way for the exploitation of the presented nanocomposites materials as catalysts for methanol fuel cells.

The effect of alendronate doped calcium phosphates on bone cells activity

This study demonstrates that octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is a suitable substrate for alendronate local action towards bone cells. The results of the structural, spectroscopic, and microscopic investigation show that soaking OCP into alendronate solutions provoked the deposition of long crystalline rod-shaped formations, most likely a calcium alendronate complex, onto the calcium phosphate. The amount of alendronate loaded onto OCP increased as a function of the bisphosphonate concentration in solution. Osteoblast and osteoclast response was tested in single and in co-cultures on OCP containing 6.4 wt.% AL (OCP-AL), and for comparison on hydroxyapatite (HA) containing a similar amount (5.9 wt.%) of AL (HA-AL), as well as on pure OCP and HA as reference materials. Alendronate loaded materials displayed a beneficial effect on osteoblast activity and differentiation, whereas they inhibited osteoclast proliferation and differentiation. Crosstalking between osteoblast-like MG63 cells and human osteoclasts enhanced their response to alendronate. Moreover, OCP displayed a greater stimulating effect than HA on osteoblast differentiation, and AL promotion of osteoblast differentiation and mineralization was enhanced in OCP-AL with respect to HA-AL.

Cationic-anionic polyelectrolyte interaction as a tool to graft silver nanoparticles on hydroxyapatite crystals and prevent cytotoxicity

This paper reports an easy, green and low cost method to support silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto functionalized hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals. The process involves low molecular weight poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) as a reducing and stabilizing agent of AgNPs and polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a functionalizing agent of hydroxyapatite (HAPAA). With respect to HA, the negatively charged surface of HAPAA significantly improves the interaction with the positively charged surface of PEI-stabilized AgNPs. AgNPs content up to about 6.5 wt% in the composite HAPAA–AgNPs crystals has been obtained by varying the volume of the AgNPs suspension submitted to interaction with HAPAA. The cytotoxicity of the crystals, evaluated through in vitro tests on MG63 osteoblast-like human cells, increases on growing Ag content, but it is reduced by the presence of PAA. The HAPAA–AgNPs crystals display similar dose-dependent antibacterial activity towards gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The comparison of data indicates that an AgNPs content of about 2 wt% allows for combining absence of cytotoxicity with a significant long-standing antibacterial activity towards both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Crystalline Calcium Alendronate Obtained by Octacalcium Phosphate Digestion: A New Chance for Local Treatment of Bone Loss Diseases?

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) interaction with alendronate (AL) solution results in the complete digestion of OCP: calcium ion is recruited by the bisphosphonate to yield quantitative precipitation of crystalline calcium alendronate monohydrate. This compound improves osteoblast differentiation and inhibits osteoclast proliferation and activity, both alone and, even more, in combination with OCP.