Bioactive glasses (BGs) arewell known for their successful applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Recent experimental studies have shown their potential usability in oncology, either alone or in combination with other biocompatible materials, such as biopolymers. Direct contact with BG particles has been found to cause toxicity and death in specific cancer cells (bone‐derived neoplastic stromal cells) in vitro. Nanostructured BGs (NBGs) can be doped with anticancer elements, such as gallium, to enhance their toxic effects against tumor cells. However, the molecular mechanisms and intracellular targets for anticancer compositions of NBGs require further clarification. NBGs have been successfully evaluated for use in various well‐established cancer treatment strategies, including cancer hyperthermia, phototherapy, and anticancer drug delivery. Existing results indicate that NBGs not only enhance cancer cell death, but can also participate in the regeneration of lost healthy tissues. However, the application of NBGs in oncology is still in its early stages, and numerous unanswered questions must be addressed. For example, the impact of the composition, biodegradation, size, and morphology of NBGs on their anticancer efficacy should be defined for each type of cancer and treatment strategy. Moreover, it should be more clearly assessed whether NBGs can shrink tumors, slow/stop cancer progression, or cure cancer completely. In this regard, the use of computational studies (in silico methods) is highly recommended to design the most effective glass formulations for cancer therapy approaches and to predict, to some extent, the relevant properties, efficacy, and outcomes.This article is categorized under:
Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants
Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
Bioactive glasses (BGs) have been used for bone formation and bone repair processes in recent years. This study investigated the titanium substitution effect on 58S BGs (Ti‐BGs) 60SiO2‐(36 − X)CaO‐4P2O5‐XTiO2 (X = 0, 3, and 5 mol.%) prepared by the sol‐gel technique, and the main goal was to find the optimum amount of titanium in Ti‐BGs. Synthesized BGs, which were investigated after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), were tested by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity, 3‐(4,5dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and antibacterial studies were employed to investigate the biological properties of Ti‐BGs. According to the FTIR and XRD test results, hydroxyapatite (HA) formation on Ti‐BGs surfaces was confirmed. Meanwhile, the presence of 5 mol.% compared to 3 mol.% increased the HA grain distribution and their size on the Ti‐BGs surface. Additionally, MTT and ALP results confirmed that the optimal amount of titanium substitution in BG was 5 mol.%. Since 5 mol.% Ti incorporated BG (BG‐5) had the highest biocompatibility level, antibacterial properties, maximum cell proliferation, and ALP activity among the synthesized Ti‐BGs, it is presented as the best candidate for further in vivo investigations.
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