Potential effects of a low-molecular-weight fucoidan extracted from brown algae on bone biomaterial osteoconductive properties

In this work, we first tested the influence of low-molecular-weight (LMW) fucoidan extracted from pheophicae cell wall on bidimensional cultured normal human osteoblasts' behaviors. Second, by impregnation procedure with LMW fucoidan of bone biomaterial (Lubboc (R)), we explored in this bone extracellular matrix context its capabilities to support human osteoblastic behavior in 3D culture. In bidimensionnal cultures, we evidenced that LMW fucoidan promotes human osteoblast proliferation and collagen type I expression and favors precocious alkaline phosphatase activity. Furthermore, with LMW fucoidan, von Kossa's staining was positive at 30 days and positive only at 45 days in the absence of LMW fucoidan. In our three-dimensional culture models with the biomaterial pretreated with LMW fucoidan, osteoblasts promptly overgrew the pretreated biomaterial. We also evidenced that osteoblasts increased proliferation with pretreated biomaterial when compared with untreated biomaterial. Osteoblasts secreted osteocalcin and expressed BMP2 receptor on control material as well as with LMW fucoidan impregnated biomaterial. In conclusion, in our experimental conditions, LMW fucoidan stimulated expression of osteoblastic markers differentiation such as alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen type I expression, and mineral deposition; furthermore, cell proliferation was favored. These findings suggest that fucoidan could be clinically useful for bone regeneration and bone substitute design. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 87A: 666-675, 2008