Structure and Properties of Bioactive Glass-Modified Calcium Phosphate/Calcium Sulfate Biphasic Porous Self-Curing Bone Repair Materials and Preliminary Research on Their Osteogenic Effect

Abstract

In this study, calcium phosphate (CP)/calcium sulfate biphasic bone repair materials were modified with bioactive-glass (BG) to construct a self-curing bone repair material. Tetracalcium phosphate, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, and calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH) with different BG ratios and phosphate solution were reacted to prepare a porous self-curing bone repair material (CP/CSH/BG). The solidification time was about 12 min, and the material was morphologically stable in 24 h. The porosity was about 50%, with a pore size around 200 μm. The strength of CP/CSH/BG was approaching trabecular bone, and could be gradually degraded in Tris-HCl solution. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in the leaching solution of the materials. Cytotoxicity was detected using Cell Counting Kit 8 assays, and the expression of osteogenesis-related biomarkers was detected using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed that all BG groups had increased ALP and ARS staining, implying that the BG groups could promote osteoblast mineralization in vitro. qRT-PCR showed significant upregulation of bone-related gene expression (Osx, Ocn, Runx2, and Col1) in the 20% BG group (p < 0.05). Therefore, the CP/CSH/BG self-curing bone repair materials can promote osteogenesis, and might be applied for bone regeneration, especially for polymorphic bone defect repair.