Cytotoxic Effects of Zoledronic Acid on Human Epithelial Cells and Gingival Fibroblasts

Abstract

Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis has been related to the cytotoxicity of these drugs on oral mucosa cells. A previous study showed that 5 µM of zoledronic acid (ZA), a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate, is the highest concentration of this drug found in the oral cavity of patients under treatment. Therefore, in order to simulate an osteonecrosis clinical condition, the aim of this study was to evaluate the highest concentration of ZA applied on human epithelial cells (HaCaT) and gingival fibroblasts. For this purpose, cells (3×104 cells/cm2) were seeded in wells for 48 h using complete culture medium (cDMEM). After 48 h incubation, the cDMEM was replaced by fresh serum-free culture medium (DMEM-FBS) in which the cells were maintained for additional 24 h. Then, 5 µM ZA were added to the DMEM–FBS and the cells incubated in contact with the drug for 48 h. After this period, the number of viable cells (trypan blue), cell viability (MTT assay), total protein (TP) production and cell morphology (SEM analysis) were assessed. Data were analyzed statistically by Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05). ZA caused a significant reduction in the number of viable cells and decreased the metabolic activity of both cell lines. However, decrease of TP production occurred only in the epithelial cell cultures. Morphological alterations were observed in both cell types treated with ZA. In conclusion, ZA (5 µM) was cytotoxic to human epithelial cells and gingival fibroblast cultures, which could be associated, clinically, with the development of bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis.