Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) are widely recognized for their ability to bond to hard tissue, while the ions released from the BG structure enhance specific cellular pathways. In this study, the SiO2-P2O5-CaO-MgO-ZnO system was used to successfully synthesize MBGNs by a microemulsion-assisted sol-gel method. The MBGNs calcinated at 600 °C/3 h had a typical phosphosilicate structure together with a poorly crystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp). The addition of ZnO not only led to a higher degree of crystallinity of HAp but also induced a higher porosity of the particles. All MBGNs had a mesoporous structure with an interconnected network of slit shape pores. For each type of composition, two families of highly dispersed spherical nanoparticles could be identified. In vitro tests in simulated body fluid (SBF) proved that after only 3 days of immersion all the materials were covered with a layer of brushite whose degree of crystallinity decreases in the presence of Zn2+. The antibacterial assay revealed a strong inhibitory effect for all samples after 40 h of contact. Simultaneously, MBGNs did not increase the intracellular oxidative stress while it stimulated the cell proliferation process.
Keywords: antibacterial activity; mesoporous bioactive glass; nanoparticles.