Tag Archives: germanium
Reparative osteogenesis markers during bone defects substitution with germanium-doped ceramics under experimental osteoporosis
T. Todosiuk1*, V. Chemerovskiy1, А. Rublenko2,
N. Ulianchych3, V. Kolomiiets3, S. Firstov3
1Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, Bila Tserkva, Ukraine;
2Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine;
3Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science,
National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: tatyana.todosyuk@gmail.com
Received: 04 June 2025; Revised: 05 August 2025;
Accepted: 30 January 2026; Available on-line: February 2026
Osteoporosis, as a systemic skeletal disease, is characterized by the loss of bone mass, decreased mineral density, and microarchitecture changes. In cases of traumatic fractures and critical-size bone defects osteoporosis can lead to spontaneous fractures, impair regeneration and complication when using bone substituting materials. Ceramic implants, doped with germanium to impart osteoinductive properties, are among promising bone substituting materials. In this study we aimed to assess biochemical markers of reparative osteogenesis at bone defects substitution with germanium-doped ceramics in rabbits under osteoporosis. The study was conducted on California White rabbits with osteoporosis, induced by administration of 0.4% dexamethasone solution. The model defects were created in trabecular and cortical bones, following the exposure of the periosteum with drills of 3 and 4.2 mm diameters, respectively, in compliance with the anesthetic regimen and antiseptic rules. Calcium phosphate ceramic granules with a size of 700 μm, synthesized from hydroxyapatite and β-tricalcium phosphate and doped with 0.8 mass.% germanium (CPC-Ge) were used for healing. In the control group of animals (n = 9) bone defects were healed under a blood clot. In the experimental group (n = 9), the defects were replaced with CPC-Ge granules. Blood samples for biochemical studies were collected before modeling the bone defect and on the 7th, 14th, 30th, and 60th days of reparative osteogenesis. The activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and its bone isoenzyme, as well as circulating immune complexes, protein C and NO serum levels were determined. It was shown that substitution of both trabecular and cortical bones defects with CPC-Ge, as compared to healing under a blood clot, leads to reduced inflammatory and immune responses, prevented the depletion of protein C and promotes a more dynamic course of reparative osteogenesis in animals with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
Biomarkers of apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in cardiomyocytes of rats under chronic ethanol consumption and germanium-nicotinic acid complex administration
I. V. Nizhenkovska1, O. V. Kuznetsova1,
V. P. Narokha1, D. O. Labudzynskyi2*
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Toxicology,
Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine;
2Department of Vitamins and Coenzyme Biochemistry,
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: labudzinskidmytro@gmail.com
Received: 11 November 2024; Revised: 03 February 2025;
Accepted: 21 February 2025; Available on-line: 03 March 2025
Chronic ethanol consumption is associated with a range of harmful effects on different systems of the body, including the heart. Coordination complexes of bioactive compounds based on non-toxic metals are attracting interest in biomedical research due to their potential therapeutic properties. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of the germanium-nicotinic acid complex (MIGU-1) on apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress indicators in the myocardium of rats under chronic alcohol exposure. Female Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 6 animals each: intact animals; rats that received 20% ethanol as the sole source of liquid for 110 days; animals with chronic consumption of 20% ethanol, which from the 90th day until the end of the experiment were intraperitoneally administered MIGU-1 solution (10 mg/kg/day). Biomarkers related to apoptosis, ER stress autophagy were assessed by Western blot analysis. It was shown that chronic ethanol consumption significantly activated apoptotic pathways in rat myocardium tissue, evidenced by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3 and BAX proteins alongside Beclin-1 level elevation, indicating enhanced autophagy. A significant decrease in the content of the protein IRE1 and its phosphorylated form in myocardial with no changes in GRP78 protein level was detected. Treatment with MIGU-1 resulted in both ethanol-induced apoptosis reduction and ER stress attenuation in cardiomyocytes with the level of Beclin-1 and GRP78 proteins remaining unchanged. Our findings demonstrate that the MIGU-1 complex promotes cardiomyocyte survival by balancing apoptosis and unfolded protein response, thus preventing alcohol-related cardiac injury.