Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of bioactive glass (BG) on the proliferation of osteoblasts and the expression of YAP/PDZ-binding motif of transcriptional coactivator (TAZ).Methods: High density polyethylene (HDPE), hydroxyapatite (HA) +HDPE complex and BG+HDPE complex were constructed. The crystal morphology and structure of polymer phase in the three biomaterials were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The three materials were fixed in the bottom of the cell culture dish after ultraviolet disinfection, and the rat osteoblasts were inoculated and cultured in the dish for 7 days. The cell structure was observed by contrast microscope and laser confocal microscope, and the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells in each group were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type I (COL-1), osteopontin (OPN), RUNt-associated transcription factor 2 (Runx2), YAP and /TAZ proteins in osteoblasts in each group. Results:?The HDPE matrix phase of the three materials showed a typical orientation structure, and HA and BG were dispersed in the matrix phase. The constituent bone cells were long fusiform, the cell morphology was complete, the cytoskeleton was continuous and complete without fracture or loss, and the cell nuclei were rounded and three-dimensional cells showed mitosis. The proliferation activity of bone cells composed of BG+HDPE was higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05), and the apoptosis rate was lower than 5% in all three groups. The protein expressions of ALP, COL-1, OPN, Runx2, YAP and TAZ in bone cells composed of BG+HDPE were higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.05).Conclusions:?BG can promote the proliferation of osteoblasts in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of YAP/TAZ and Runx2 expression.

Key words: Bioactive glass, osteosarcoma cells, jaw defect, proliferation, YAP/TAZ