In Vitro Biodegradation of Resorbable Magnesium Alloys Promising for Implant Development

N S Martynenko; N Y Anisimova; M V Kiselevskiy; D R Temralieva; G I Raab; E A Kornyushenkov; M V Rodionov; S V Dobatkin; Y Z Estrin

doi:10.17691/stm2020.12.6.06

In Vitro Biodegradation of Resorbable Magnesium Alloys Promising for Implant Development

Sovrem Tekhnologii Med. 2021;12(6):47-52. doi: 10.17691/stm2020.12.6.06. Epub 2020 Dec 28.

Authors

N S Martynenko¹, N Y Anisimova², M V Kiselevskiy³, D R Temralieva⁴, G I Raab⁵, E A Kornyushenkov⁶, M V Rodionov⁷, S V Dobatkin⁸, Y Z Estrin⁹

Affiliations

¹ Researcher, Laboratory of Non-Ferrous and Light Metals; A.A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119334, Russia; Engineer, Laboratory of Hybrid Nanostructured Materials; National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119049, Russia.
² Leading Researcher, Laboratory of Cell Immunity; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, Moscow, 115478, Russia.
³ Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Cell Immunity; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, Moscow, 115478, Russia.
⁴ Junior Researcher, Laboratory of Non-Ferrous and Light Metals; A.A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119334, Russia; PhD Student, Laboratory of Hybrid Nanostructured Materials; National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119049, Russia.
⁵ Head of the Laboratory "Technologies of Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD)"; Ufa State Aviation Technical University, 12 K. Max St., Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450008, Russia.
⁶ Head of Experimental Therapy Clinic; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, Moscow, 115478, Russia.
⁷ Senior Researcher, Experimental Therapy Clinic; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, Moscow, 115478, Russia.
⁸ Head of the Laboratory of Non-Ferrous and Light Metals Science; A.A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, 49 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119334, Russia; Professor, Department of Metallography and Physics of Strength; National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119049, Russia.
⁹ Honorary Professorial Fellow, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Monash University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Adjunct Professor in the School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering The University of Western Australia, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to study the biodegradation characteristics and rate of magnesium alloys in vitro.

Materials and methods: We studied the biodegradation of magnesium alloys Mg-Zn-Ca and WE43 (Mg-Y-Nd-Zr) in homogenized (initial) condition and after strengthening by mechanical processing using equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). The samples were incubated in a model system based on reference fetal calf serum (FCS) in the static and dynamic modes. The morphology of alloy surfaces was analyzed using light microscopy and computed tomography. Biodegradation was assessed by calculating weight loss within a certain incubation period. Cell adhesion and colonization stimulation were quantified in terms of a cell index (CI) using an analyzer xCELLigence RTCA Systems (ACEA Biosciences, Inc., USA) during the incubation of HEK 293 cells on WE43 specimens.

Results: Strengthening of magnesium alloys Mg-Zn-Ca and WE43 using ECAP and, consequently, the changed structure resulted in the biodegradation acceleration as high as eightfold. Among the specimens incubated in FCS in different modes, those incubated in liquid flow exhibited the biodegradation rate twice as high as that of the specimens tested under static conditions. The biodegradation process was accompanied by local corrosion, although the degradation was primarily concentrated along the specimen margins stimulating cell adhesion and colonization. Such nature of degradation, as a rule, does not lead to anisotropy of the strength characteristics, that is important for medical materials. Superficial degradation of the alloys with no X-ray density changes in the bulk of the specimens was confirmed by computed tomography.

Conclusion: The study of the biodegradation rate and further characteristics of magnesium alloys Mg-Zn-Ca and WE43 showed that the materials in both structural conditions are suitable for implants and can be used in bone implants and surgical fasteners.

Keywords: biodegradation; cell adhesion; colonization; equal channel angular pressing; implants; magnesium alloys; ultrafine-grained structure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alloys* / chemistry
Corrosion
HEK293 Cells
Humans
Magnesium* / chemistry
Materials Testing / methods

Substances

Alloys
Magnesium

Grants and funding

Study funding. The study was supported by the grant 18-45-06010 from the Russian Science Foundation.