Zinc- and Copper-Doped Mesoporous Borate Bioactive Glasses: Promising Additives for Potential Use in Skin Wound Healing Applications

Abstract

In this study, zinc (Zn)- and copper (Cu)-doped 13-93B3 borate mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) were successfully synthesized using nitrate precursors in the presence of Pluronic P123. We benefited from computational approaches for predicting and confirming the experimental findings. The changes in the dynamic surface tension (SFT) of simulated body fluid (SBF) were investigated using the Du Noüy ring method to shed light on the mineralization process of hydroxyapatite (HAp) on the glass surface. The obtained MBGs were in a glassy state before incubation in SBF. The formation of an apatite-like layer on the SBF-incubated borate glasses was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of Zn and Cu into the basic composition of 13-93B3 glass led to changes in the glass transition temperature (Tg) (773 to 556 °C), particle size (373 to 64 nm), zeta potential (−12 to −26 mV), and specific surface area (SBET) (54 to 123 m2/g). Based on the K-means algorithm and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) tree, we found that the SFT of SBF is an important factor for the prediction and confirmation of the HAp mineralization process on the glasses. Furthermore, we proposed a simple calculation, based on SFT variation, to quantify the bioactivity of MBGs. The doped and dopant-free borate MBGs could enhance the proliferation of mouse fibroblast L929 cells at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. These glasses also induced very low hemolysis (<5%), confirming good compatibility with red blood cells. The results of the antibacterial test revealed that all the samples could significantly decrease the viability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In summary, we showed that Cu-/Zn-doped borate MBGs can be fabricated using a cost-effective method and also show promise for wound healing/skin tissue engineering applications, as especially supported by the cell test with fibroblasts, good compatibility with blood, and antibacterial properties.

The angiogenic potential of pH‐neutral borophosphate bioactive glasses

“…Our future aim is to evaluate if doping the pH-neutral X40 glass with ions such as copper, zinc, or cobalt will increase its angiogenic abilities without increasing ghost vessels or hyperemia. [50][51][52] Endothelial cell proliferation and migration to the DP unexpectedly decreased compared to the direct glass. Though further investigations are needed to explain this phenomenon, it may be that ions are precipitating out of solution more quickly in the absence of cells, reducing the remaining ions in the DP and, therefore, having an insignificant effect on cell behavior.…”

“…However, it did increase (though not significantly) the total branching points and density of vessels, suggesting it could be further developed for angiogenic applications. Our future aim is to evaluate if doping the pH‐neutral X40 glass with ions such as copper, zinc, or cobalt will increase its angiogenic abilities without increasing ghost vessels or hyperemia 50–52 …”

Nanostructured bioactive glasses: A bird's eye view on cancer therapy

“…It is important to note that the properties of the glass particles can vary depending on the synthesis condition, such as acidic or basic conditions (e.g., Stöber method; Kargozar, Baino, et al, 2019; Zheng et al, 2017). In acidic conditions (pH < 2.5), a weakly branched polymeric sol is formed which is then cast and milled to achieve glass particles (Deshmukh et al, 2020; Kermani et al, 2023; Valliant et al, 2012).…”

Effects of Bioactive Glasses (BGs) on Exosome Production and Secretion: A Critical Review

“…With their exceptional regenerating potential, bioactive glasses (BGs) have gained a special place in tissue-engineering approaches [6,7]. These synthetic biocompatible materials were first utilized for managing hard-tissue diseases and disorders; however, they have been found to be beneficial for managing soft tissues as well [8][9][10][11]. The reason for this is attributed to the great compositional versatility of BGs, which can be properly designed to achieve various physico-chemical, mechanical, and biological characteristics [12].…”