In vitro and in vivo study of copper-doped bioactive glass for bone regeneration application

Bioactive glasses (BGs) are being explored in bone regeneration applications with great interest banking on their excellent bioactivity, angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and bone-bonding capacity. In this connection, the designing of metal-doped BG composite with enhanced biological properties is attracting the attention of the scientific community. With this motivation, the present study focuses on the synthesis of copper-doped 70S30C bioactive glass (CuBGs) using a simple precipitation method, wherein rice husk, eggshell, and copper sulfate were used as a precursor for silica, calcium, and copper. The objective of the study is to synthesize acid-free and binder-free CuBGs for bone regeneration application. The structural and textural properties of the CuBG samples were studied using XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, and BET techniques. In addition, in vitro bioactivity and degradation studies were performed in simulated body fluid (SBF). The antibacterial activity of the CuBGs shows an inhibitory effect against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. The in vitro haemolysis study indicates haemo-compatibility and significantly improved angiogenesis after copper doping. The histology study of chick bone demonstrates the growth of osteoblast cells. Further, MG-63 cells were exposed to the CuBGs samples (concentrations up to 10 mg mL−1) to assess biocompatibility and it was observed that it did not exhibit any toxic effects. This is supported by an in vivo biocompatibility study indicating its non-toxic nature. The results reveal that CuBG plays an important role in enhancing bioactivity, antibacterial activity, and angiogenesis, and it is non-toxic making it a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering application.