An Investigation of Osteogenesis on a Titanium Surface Using a Type 2 Diabetes Rat Model

<p>Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for implant treatment, as it is difficult to acquire osseointegration compared with healthy subjects. The effect of diabetes mellitus on osseointegration capacity has not been addressed using appropriate animal models. The aim of this study was to investigate the number of attached cells and differentiation of osteoblastic cells using a Type 2 diabetes rat model and titanium. The cells were cultured in a low glucose environment similar to the state in which blood glucose level was controlled.</p><p>In this study, Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats, which develop Type 2 diabetes mellitus, with Sprague Dawley (SD) rats as controls were used. The bone marrow-derived osteoblastic cells of these rats were cultured in a low glucose environment on a titanium disc 4 weeks after surface treatment of the disc. This experiment used the following two groups : control group : using osteoblast-like cells of SD rats on the titanium disc and diabetic group : using osteoblast-like cells of SDT rats on the titanium disc. In addition, WST-1 Cell Counting Kit, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and Alizarin red staining were used to evaluate attached cell number, differentiation and mineralization, respectively.</p><p>In the diabetic group, the number of attached cells was small compared with the control group. The ALP activity of the diabetic group was lower than that of the control group.</p><p>Collectively, our data suggested that the osteoblast-like cells derived from SDT rats on the acid-etched titanium disc differentiated to osteoblasts. It was considered that acid-etched titanium is a useful method for implant treatment in diabetic patients receiving blood glucose control. Further study is required to examine the differentiation of osteoblasts and expression of bone formation related genes in a high glucose environment, in addition to in vivo research of implants for diabetic rats.</p>