OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of 20% fluor-hydroxyapatite (FHA) on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human MG63 osteosarcoma cells.

METHODSFHA was prepared by chemical precipitation method, and its structure and surface features were tested by scanning microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. MG63 cells were cultured and divided into FHA, hydroxyapatite (HA) and control groups (n = 3). The proliferation of the cells was evaluated using methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. ALP activity of the cells was assessed. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated based on the reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) of differentiation-related genes, namely, collagen type I (Col I), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN) and core binding factor α1 (Cbfα1). The data were analyzed statistically by one-way analysis of variance using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSXRD test showed that the main crystalline phase of FHA was similar to that of HA. Absorptance value of cells exposed to FHA(1.87±0.06) measured by MTT was higher than that of the control(1.25±0.02) on the third day(P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference between the cells exposed to FHA and HA(1.84±0.03) (P > 0.05). ALP activity of the cells exposed to FHA(4.62±0.09)was higher than that of the control (1.92 ± 0.05) (P < 0.05). RT-PCR tests showed that compared with the control, FHA up-regulated the expression of Col I, ALP and OCN mRNA, down-regulated the expression of Cbfα1 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONSFHA enhances the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation-related gene expression, and has good biocompatibility.