Bioactive zinc-doped sol-gel coating modulates protein adsorption patterns and in vitro cell responses

• Published in: Materials Science & Engineering C 2021-02, Vol.121, p.111839-111839, Article 111839
• Main Authors: Cerqueira, A., Romero-Gavilán, F., García-Arnáez, I., Martinez-Ramos, C., Ozturan, S., Iloro, I., Azkargorta, M., Elortza, F., Izquierdo, R., Gurruchaga, M., Goñi, I., Suay, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Bioinorganic chemistry; Biological activity; Biological effects; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Bone biomaterials; Bone growth; Bone regeneration; Cbfa-1 protein; Cell Differentiation; Coated Materials, Biocompatible; Coatings; Crosslinking; Cytotoxicity; Gene expression; Humans; Hybrids; IL-1β; Immunology; Interleukin 4; Macrophages; Materials science; Mineralization; NF-κB protein; Osteoblasts; Osteoclastogenesis; Osteogenesis; Protein adsorption; Proteins; Proteomics; Regeneration; Serum proteins; Sol-gel processes; Surface Properties; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Tissue engineering; Titanium; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Zinc; Zinc chloride; Zinc coatings
• ISSN: 0928-4931; 1873-0191
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111839

Zinc is an essential element with an important role in stimulating the osteogenesis and mineralization and suppressing osteoclast differentiation. In this study, new bioactive ZnCl2-doped sol-gel materials were designed to be applied as coatings onto titanium. The biomaterials were physicochemically characterized and the cellular responses evaluated in vitro using MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and RAW264.7 macrophages. The effect of Zn on the adsorption of human serum proteins onto the material surface was evaluated through nLC-MS/MS. The incorporation of Zn did not affect the crosslinking of the sol-gel network. A controlled Zn2+ release was obtained, reaching values below 10 ppm after 21 days. The materials were no cytotoxic and lead to increased gene expression of ALP, TGF-β, and RUNX2 in the osteoblasts. In macrophages, an increase of IL-1β, TGF-β, and IL-4 gene expression was accompanied by a reduced TNF-α liberation. Proteomic results showed changes in the adsorption patterns of proteins associated with immunological, coagulative, and regenerative functions, in a Zn dose-dependent manner. The variations in protein adsorption might lead to the downregulation of the NF-κB pathway, thus explain the observed biological effects of Zn incorporation into biomaterials. Overall, these coatings demonstrated their potential to promote bone tissue regeneration. [Display omitted] •New bioactive Zn-doped sol-gel coatings were developed and characterized.•Zn-doped coatings could improve bone regeneration in a Zn dose-dependent manner.•The coatings with Zn showed anti-inflammatory effects.•A correlation between protein adsorption and cellular response were established.•A better understanding of Zn-doped biomaterials-tissue interactions was achieved.