title: The role of silicon in osteoblast-like cell proliferation and apoptosis.
abstract: The optimal concentration at which Si induces cell functions has not been fully elucidated. In the present study the effects of Si concentration (0-6 mM) on the biological functions of MG63 cells were investigated. Cell proliferation in the presence of 2 mM Si- and 4 mM Si-containing media progressively increased with culture time, whereas that of 6mM Si treated MG63 cells was significantly (P<0.05) reduced. The unusually high Si concentration (6 mM) induced a significant (P<0.05) increase in the sub-G1 phase of cells from the original 3.60% up to 43.01% after culture for 12 h. In contrast, the other lower Si concentration treated MG63 cells in the sub-G1 phase were in the range 3-5% at all culture time points. 4 mM Si treated MG63 cells, but not 6 mM Si treated MG63 cells, showed remarkably enhanced collagen type I (COL I) gene expression and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) secretion, which were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those in the control medium. The activation of ERK was also stimulated in MG63 cells by 4 mM Si. Cells cultured in the presence of 4 mM Si were found to have calcium matrix formation on day 7 that was 15-fold greater than that in the control medium. The results obtained in this study may be useful in designing calcium silicate-based materials with optimal biological properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-You
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Shie
authors.forename: Shinn-Jyh
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Hsien-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D012825:Silicon