The β-SiC Nanowires (~100 nm) Induce Apoptosis via Oxidative Stress in Mouse Osteoblastic Cell Line MC3T3-E1

• Published in: BioMed research international 2014-01, Vol.2014 (2014), p.1-9
• Main Authors: Xie, Weili, Xie, Qi, Jin, Meishan, Huang, Xiaoxiao, Zhang, Xiaodong, Shao, Zhengkai, Wen, Guangwu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Carbon Compounds, Inorganic - adverse effects; Carbon Compounds, Inorganic - pharmacology; Cell Line; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Materials Testing - methods; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Mice; Nanomedicine; Nanowires - adverse effects; Osteoblasts - metabolism; Osteoblasts - pathology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Silicon Compounds - adverse effects; Silicon Compounds - pharmacology
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/312901

Silicon carbide (SiC), a compound of silicon and carbon, with chemical formula SiC, the beta modification (β-SiC), with a zinc blende crystal structure (similar to diamond), is formed at temperature below 1700∘C. β-SiC will be the most suitable ceramic material for the future hard tissue replacement, such as bone and tooth. The in vitro cytotoxicity of β-SiC nanowires was investigated for the first time. Our results indicated that 100 nm long SiC nanowires could significantly induce the apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells, compared with 100 μm long SiC nanowires. And 100 nm long SiC nanowires increased oxidative stress in MC3T3-E1 cells, as determined by the concentrations of MDA (as a marker of lipid peroxidation) and 8-OHdG (indicator of oxidative DNA damage). Moreover, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed to evaluate the morphological changes of MC3T3-E1 cells. After treatment with 100 nm long SiC nanowires, the mitochondria were swelled and disintegrated, and the production of ATP and the total oxygen uptake were also decreased significantly. Therefore, β-SiC nanowires may have limitations as medical material.