Preparation of antimicrobial calcium phosphate/protamine composite powders with fluoride ions using octacalcium phosphate

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine 2022-04, Vol.33 (4), p.35-35, Article 35
• Main Authors: Koizumi, Daisuke, Suzuki, Kitaru, Togawa, Rie, Yasui, Kosuke, Iohara, Keishi, Honda, Michiyo, Aizawa, Mamoru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Antimicrobial agents; Apatite; Biocompatibility; Biomaterials; Biomaterials Synthesis and Characterization; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedical materials; Bone biomaterials; Bone growth; Calcium phosphates; Calcium Phosphates - chemistry; Cell proliferation; Ceramics; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Crystals; Dental materials; Dental restorative materials; Fluorapatite; Fluoride treatments; Fluorides; Fluorides - chemistry; Glass; Hydroxyapatite; Ions; Materials Science; Mechanical loading; Microorganisms; Natural Materials; Octacalcium phosphate; Organic compounds; Polymer Sciences; Powders; Protamine; Protamine sulfate; Protamines; Regeneration; Regeneration (physiology); Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films
• ISSN: 1573-4838; 0957-4530; 1573-4838
• DOI: 10.1007/s10856-022-06656-5

Calcium phosphates are key biomaterials in dental treatment and bone regeneration. Biomaterials must exhibit antibacterial properties to prevent microbial infection in implantation frameworks. Previously, we developed various types of calcium phosphate powders (amorphous calcium phosphate, octacalcium phosphate (OCP), dicalcium phosphate anhydrate, and hydroxyapatite) with adsorbed protamine (which is a protein with antibacterial property) and confirmed their antibacterial property. In this study, as foundational research for the development of novel oral care materials, we synthesized calcium phosphate composite powders from three starting materials: i) OCP, which intercalates organic compounds, ii) protamine, which has antibacterial properties, and iii) F – ion, which promotes the formation of apatite crystals. Through investigating the preparation concentration of the F – ions and their loading into OCP, it was found that more F – ion could be loaded at higher concentrations regardless of the loading method. It was also observed that the higher the preparation concentration, the more the OCP converted to fluorapatite. The synthesized calcium phosphate composite powders were evaluated for biocompatibility through proliferation of MG-63 cells, with none of the powders exhibiting any growth inhibition. Antimicrobial tests showed that the calcium phosphate composite powders synthesized with protamine and F – ion by precipitation had enhanced antimicrobial properties than those synthesized by protamine adsorption. Thus, the calcium phosphate composite powder prepared from OCP, protamine, and F – ion forms the basis for promising antimicrobial biomaterials. Graphical abstract