Effects of Graft-carrier Solutions on Osteoblast-like Cells with or without Beta-tricalcium Phosphate

The enhancement of osteogenesis by tissue engineering is a challenge in periodontal therapy. Several graft materials in conjunction with carriers, such as blood or saline, are used for this purpose. This study aimed to assess the effect of phosphate buffered saline (PBS), Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and saline on the activity of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells in the presence and absence of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP).

In this in vitro experimental study, MG-63 osteoblast-like cells were cultured in 10% PBS, HBSS and saline (10%) with and without β-TCP granules for 24 and 72 h and five days. At 24 and 72 h, cell viability and proliferation were assessed. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity test was used to assess bone activity. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM Corp. Released 2011. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp) via one-way and two-way ANOVA (P<0.05).

Pairwise comparisons showed no significant difference in the viability of MG-63 cells at 24 h in the three solutions (with equal β-TCP content) or with the negative control group (complete culture). At 72 h, significant differences were only observed in the reduction of cell proliferation between 10% saline without β-TCP and 10% saline with β-TCP , and also between HBSS without β-TCP and HBSS with β-TCP (P<0.05).

The three solutions did not induce ALP activity at 24 or 72 h and did not cause the formation of any calcified nodule at three or five days in MG-63 cells.