Evaluation of Living Silica® on Bone Health fibroblasts, Osteoblasts and MG-63 Cell Line.
Performed at the Technology Centre for Nutrition and Health Survey
How organic silica can help your bone health?
Several authors have emphasized the role of silicon in health, being the most prominent its effect on the integrity of the nails, hair and skin as well as in the synthesis of collagen and bone mineralization. It was observed that silica deficiency has adverse effects such as bone deformities, joint malfunction, reducing the mass of cartilage and rupture of the mineral balance in femur and vertebrae.
One of the most suitable ways to determine possible effects of a bioactive compound or supplement is the use of in vitro systems on certain cell types, thus avoiding hormonal or endocrine interactions. The model chosen for this study was the MG-63 cell-line, which has a fibroblast phenotype that can be differentiated and give place to different populations of mature cells, such as osteoblasts.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Loic Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica on the production of collagen in the undifferentiated (fibroblasts) MG-63 cell line and the effects on differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts.
Results of our Research
Effects of Living Silica® on collagen production in the short term
We evaluated the effects of a treatment with 200, 1000, and 2000 mg/liter of silicon on the production of collagen, indicating its induction 24 hours after initiation of treatment compared with untreated cells.
Effects of Living Silica® on collagen production long term
The same process performed over 16 days, resulted in a net increase in collagen production showing a dose-response action. The ratio of collagenous and non-collagenous proteins results in a significant 12% increase for all doses tested, indicating that the three treatments induce collagen synthesis.
Effects of Living Silica® on calcium deposits in osteoblasts during differentiation
We studied whether treatments with Living Silica® affected the calcification of MG-63 osteoblasts. The results show an increase in calcium deposition following a dose-response action, being statistically significant compared to untreated cells, corresponding to a 40% increase in calcification with a dosage of 2000 mg/liter
Effects of Living Silica® on collagen synthesis in osteoblast during the process of differentiation
The results show that treatment with the concentrated 2000 mg/liter product increases collagen levels in differentiated osteoblasts.
Living Silica® effects on osteoblast differentiation
With the 2000 mg/liter product a significant increase, inducing the activity of alkaline phosphatase was observed.
Discussion
The results of the study show that collagen synthesis is enhanced by treatment with Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica cells in the form of fibroblasts, indicating possible effects on bone mass since it consists largely of this protein. The results suggest beneficial effects, with the highest dose increasing the concentration of collagen. Secondly, treatment with Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica osteoblasts in process of differentiation results in an increase in calcification compared to untreated cells, as indicated by an increased calcium deposition, finding Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica one of the products capable of increasing mineralization of culture osteoblasts.
There could be two reasons for the observed increase of the calcium deposit located in the osteoblasts. Firstly, the greater differentiation of fibroblasts, induced by treatment resulting in an increased number of osteoblasts and hence proportionally increasing calcification. Secondly, an increase of calcium in the metabolism or cellular processes involved in the deposition of calcium would explain increased calcification.
In mature osteoblasts, treatment with Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica results in a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase activity. Since this activity depends on the concentration of collagen in the extracellular matrix and is at the same time responsible for the calcification. The increased collagen synthesis induced by treatment using Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica was responsible for the increased activity of the alkaline phosphatase, noting that the determination of collagen and alkaline phosphatase, has been achieved in two different experiments, therefor the increase in alkaline phosphatase and calcification in the cells treated with Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica is due to the higher concentration of collagen in the extracellular matrix, an effect magnified and clearly significant when it comes to growing fibroblasts.
The results of this study indicate that treatment with Loïc Le Ribault's, Living Silica®, organic silica increases collagen synthesis and reinforces the extracellular matrix in MG-63 cells. This effect potentiates calcium deposition by osteoblasts increasing calcification of the extracellular matrix. If these results were passed on to humans, the use of Living Silica® would be beneficial in situations in which a reinforcement of bone matrix in
the context of an adequate intake of necessary components required to induce the differentiation from fibroblasts to osteoblasts or osteogenesis.
Centro Tecnológico de Nutrición y Salud
Dr. José María del Bas, Dr. Luis Arola y Dr. Francesc Puiggròs
Reus,
July 2014
