Effect of exposure of osteoblast-like cells to low-dose silver nanoparticles: uptake, retention and osteogenic activity

Abstract

Objective

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in orthopaedic implants because of their excellent antimicrobial properties. However, the effects of AgNPs on bone cells and osteogenic activity are still poorly understood.

Method

Here, we investigated the effect of AgNPs on the cell viability, uptake, and osteogenic activity of osteoblast-like cells (MG-63 cells) at low concentrations.

Results

Our results showed that uptake and retention of AgNPs reduced the cell viability and increased cell membrane penetrability even after termination of exposure of MG-63 cells to AgNPs. In addition, AgNPs induced cell shrinkage, reduced the expressions of ALP, COL-I, OCN and OPG, and enhanced the expressions of Runx2 and RANKL.

Conclusion

Collectively, our work demonstrated that the cytotoxic effects of low-dose AgNPs on MG-63 cells persisted even after termination of exposure. AgNPs may interfere with bone formation. More attention should be paid to the toxicity of AgNPs during the design of future orthopaedic implants.

Keywords:

• Silver nanoparticles
• low-dose exposure
• uptake
• retention
• MG-63 cells

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. ZR2017MH108 and ZR2017LB030) and a project of Shandong Province Higher Educational Science and Technology Program of China (Grant No. J16LK06).