Titaniuim surfaces influence behaviour and gene expression of endothelial cells

Objectives:

Success of dental implantation is affected initially by wound healing of both hard and soft tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different titanium surfaces on proliferation, behaviour and cytokine gene expression of endothelial cells (EC) as crucial cells involved in angiogenesis and the inflammation process of wound healing.

Methods:

Hydrophobic acid-etched (A) and coarse-grit-blasted, acid-etched (SLA) surfaces and hydrophilic acid-etched (modA) and modSLA surfaces were used in this study. After human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated on these Ti surfaces for different time periods, cell viability and proliferation was detected by determination of succinic dehydorgenase activity (MTT-assay). Cell growth behaviors were dynamically observed by time-lapes microscopy. Expression of angiogenesis-related genes was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

Proliferation, motility and cluster formation of HUVECs was highest on modA surfaces compared to SLA, A and modSLA surfaces. During the whole observation period cell motility was slower on SLA and modSLA surfaces and no cluster formation was observed. The relative gene expressions of angiogenesis-related factors (von Willebrand factor, thrombomodulin, endothelial-cell-protein-C-receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1) were highest on modSLA surfaces (p<0.001, ANOVA and Tukeyxs HSD post hoc test).

Conclusion:

The results suggest that the modA surface promotes proliferation and angiogenetic behavior of HUVECs. However, the modSLA surface seems to improve expression of cytokine genes of HUVECs, which play essential roles in controlling inflammation and revascularization in the process of wound healing.

Supported by ITI-Grant-423/2005