Serum from children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) inhibits differentiation, mineralization and may increase apoptosis of human osteoblasts ""in vitro""

We examined the effects of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) serum on proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and apoptosis of human osteoblast cells (hOb) in culture. The hOb were cultured with 10% serum from active pJIA and healthy controls (CT) and were tested for DNA synthesis, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, osteocalcin (OC) secretion, calcium levels, caspase 3 activity, and DNA fragmentation. None of the patients had used glucocorticoids for at least 1 month before the study, or any other drug that can affect bone mineral metabolism. Human inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-12p70) were measured in pJIA and CT sera. Low levels of AP activity was observed in pJIA cultures compared with CT cultures (67.16 +/- 53.35 vs 100.11 +/- 50.64 mu mol p-nitrophenol/h(-1) mg(-1) protein, P=0.008). There was also a significant decrease in OC secretion (9.23 +/- 5.63 vs 12.82 +/- 7.02 ng/mg protein, P=0.012) and calcium levels (0.475 +/- 0.197 vs 0.717 +/- 0.366 mmol/l, P=0.05) in pJIA hOb cultures. No difference was observed in cell proliferation (323.56 +/- 108.23 vs 328.91 +/- 88.03 dpm/mg protein, P=0.788). Osteoblasts cultured with JIA sera showed lower levels of DNA and increased fragmentation than osteoblasts cultured with CT sera. pJIA sera showed higher IL-6 values than CT (21.44 +/- 9.31 vs 3.58 +/- 2.38 pg/ml, P<0.001), but no difference was observed related to IL-8, IL-10, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-12p70 between pJIA and controls. This study suggests that serum from children with pJIA inhibits differentiation, mineralization and may increase apoptosis of hOb cultures, and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 might be a mechanism in this find. These results may represent an alternative therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of bone loss in JIA.

Apoptosis induction by (+)alpha-tocopheryl succinate in the absence or presence of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide in NB4, NB4-R2 and primary APL cells

We analyzed the effect of (+)alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS) alone or associated with arsenic trioxide (ATO) or all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). alpha-TOS-induced apoptosis in APL clinical samples and in ATRA-sensitive (NB4) and ATRA-resistant (NB4-R2) APL cell lines. The effective dose 50% (ED-50) was calculated to be 71 and 58 mu M, for NB4 and NB4-R2, respectively. a-TOS neither induced nor modified ATRA-induced differentiation of APL cells, and did not affect the proliferation and differentiation of normal CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitors in methylcellulose assays. alpha-TOS exerted a moderate antagonistic effect to ATO-induced apoptosis when treatment was done simultaneously but when alpha-TOS was added 24 h after ATO, an additive effect was observed. Our results support the concept of alpha-TOS as an anti-leukemic compound which spares normal hematopoiesis. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of arsenic in different types of MTA and white and gray Portland cement

Objective. The presence of arsenic in various types of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Portland cements were evaluated to verify if they comply with the ISO-recommended limit for water-based cements of 2 mg arsenic/kg material. Study design. An amount of 5 mL of hydrochloric acid was added to 2 g each of MTA and Portland cement to be analyzed. After 15 minutes, the material was filtered and the volume of supernatant was diluted with reagent-grade water up to 40 mL. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry readings were performed in triplicate. Results. The following mean values were obtained: CPM (Egeo, Buenos Aires, Argentina) 11.06 mg/kg; CPM sealer (Egeo) 10.30 mg/kg; MTA- Obtura (Angelus, Londrina, PR, Brazil) 0.39 mg/kg; Experimental MTA: 10.30 mg/kg; White MTA- Angelus (Angelus) 1.03 mg/kg; Gray MTA- Angelus (Angelus) 5.91 mg/kg; ProRoot-MTA (Dentsply/Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK) 5.25 mg/kg; Gray Portland cement (Votorantim Cimentos, Cubatao, SP, Brazil): 34.27 mg/kg; and White Portland cement (Cimento Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil) 0.52 mg/kg. Conclusion. All tested materials presented arsenic in their composition. The form of arsenic was not analyzed nor the toxicity of the arsenic found. Only MTA- Obtura, White MTA- Angelus, and White Portland cement presented arsenic levels below the limit set in the ISO 9917-1 standard. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2008; 106: 909-913)

Human alveolar bone cell proliferation, expression of osteoblastic phenotype, and matrix mineralization on porous titanium produced by powder metallurgy

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the influence of the porous titanium (Ti) structure on the osteogenic cell behaviour. Materials and methods: Porous Ti discs were fabricated by the powder metallurgy process with the pore size typically between 50 and 400 mm and a porosity of 60%. Osteogenic cells obtained from human alveolar bone were cultured until subconfluence and subcultured on dense Ti (control) and porous Ti for periods of up to 17 days. Results: Cultures grown on porous Ti exhibited increased cell proliferation and total protein content, and lower levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity than on dense Ti. In general, gene expression of osteoblastic markers-runt-related transcription factor 2, collagen type I, alkaline phosphatase, bone morphogenetic protein-7, and osteocalcin was lower at day 7 and higher at day 17 in cultures grown on porous Ti compared with dense Ti, a finding consistent with the enhanced growth rate for such cultures. The amount of mineralized matrix was greater on porous Ti compared with the dense one. Conclusion: These results indicate that the porous Ti is an appropriate substrate for osteogenic cell adhesion, proliferation, and production of a mineralized matrix. Because of the three-dimensional environment it provides, porous Ti should be considered an advantageous substrate for promoting desirable implant surface-bone interactions.

High concentration of residual aluminum oxide on titanium surface inhibits extracellular matrix mineralization

In the present study we characterized titanium (Ti) surfaces submitted to different treatments and evaluated the response of osteoblasts derived from human alveolar bone to these surfaces. Five different surfaces were evaluated: ground (G), ground and chemical etched (G1-HF for 60 s), sand blasted (SB-Al2O3 particles 65 pm), sand blasted and chemical etched (SLA1-HF for 60 s and SLA2-HF for 13 s). Surface morphology was evaluated under SEM and roughness parameters by contact scanning instrument. The presence of Al2O3 was detected by EDS and the amount calculated by digital analyses. Osteoblasts, were cultured on these surfaces and it was evaluated: cell adhesion, proliferation, and viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, total protein content, and matrix mineralization formation. Physical and chemical treatments produced very different surface morphologies. Al2O3 residues were detected on SB and SLA2 surfaces. Only matrix mineralization formation was affected by different surface treatments, being increased on rough surface (SLA1) and reduced on surface with high amount of Al2O3 residues (SB). On the basis of these findings, it is possible to conclude that high concentration of residual Al2O3 negatively interfere with the process of matrix mineralization formation in contact with Ti implant surfaces. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 87A: 588-597, 2008

Bril: A novel bone-specific modulator of mineralization

In the course of attempting to define the bone ""secretome"" using a signal-trap screening approach, we identified a gene encoding a small membrane protein novel to osteoblasts. Although previously identified in silico as ifitm5, no localization or functional studies had been undertaken on this gene. We characterized the expression patterns and localization of this gene in vitro and in vivo and assessed its role in matrix mineralization in vitro. The bone specificity and shown role in mineralization led us to rename the gene bone restricted ifitm-like protein (Bril). Bril encodes a 14.8-kDa 1.34 arnino acid protein with two transmembrane domains. Northern blot analysis showed bone-specific expression with no expression in other embryonic or adult tissues. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in mouse embryos showed expression localized on the developing bone. Screening of cell lines showed Bril expression to be highest in osteoblasts, associated with the onset of matrix maturation/mineralization, suggesting a role in bone formation. Functional evidence of a role in mineralization was shown by adenovirus-mediated Brit overexpression and lentivirus-mediated Bril shRNA knockdown in vitro. Elevated Bril resulted in dose-dependent increases in mineralization in UMR106 and rat primary osteoblasts. Conversely, knockdown of Bril in MC3T3 osteoblasts resulted in reduced mineralization. Thus, we identified Bril as a novel osteoblast protein and showed a role in mineralization, possibly identifying a new regulatory pathway in bone formation.