Enhancing the correlation between in vitro and in vivo experiments in dental implant osseointegration: investigating the role of Ca ions

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. B, Materials for biology and medicine Materials for biology and medicine, 2024-03, Vol.12 (11), p.2831-2842
• Main Authors: Romero Gavilán, Francisco, Cerqueira, Andreia, Anitua, Eduardo, Muñoz, Fernando, García Arnáez, Iñaki, Azkargorta, Mikel, Elortza, Félix, Gurruchaga, Mariló, Goñi, Isabel, Suay, Julio, Tejero, Ricardo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Adhesion; AKT protein; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Bone biomaterials; Bone healing; Calcium channels; Calcium ions; Cell adhesion; Cell differentiation; Coagulation; Dental implants; Extracellular matrix; Immune response; Immune system; Immunomodulation; In vivo methods and tests; Leukocyte migration; Macrophages; Molecular modelling; Osseointegration; Osteoblasts; Proteins; Proteomics; Rabbits; Regulatory proteins; Signal transduction; Tapering; Tissue engineering; TOR protein
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02694a

This study delves into the osteogenic potential of a calcium-ion modified titanium implant surface, unicCa, employing state-of-the-art proteomics techniques both (utilizing osteoblasts and macrophage cell cultures) and (in a rabbit condyle model). When human osteoblasts (Hobs) were cultured on unicCa surfaces, they displayed a marked improvement in cell adhesion and differentiation compared to their unmodified counterparts. The proteomic analysis also revealed enrichment in functions associated with cell migration, adhesion, extracellular matrix organization, and proliferation. The analysis also underscored the involvement of key signalling pathways such as PI3K-Akt and mTOR. In the presence of macrophages, unicCa initially exhibited improvement in immune-related functions and calcium channel activities at the outset (1 day), gradually tapering off over time (3 days). Following a 5-day implantation in rabbits, unicCa demonstrated distinctive protein expression profiles compared to unmodified surfaces. The proteomic analysis highlighted shifts in adhesion, immune response, and bone healing-related proteins. unicCa appeared to influence the coagulation cascade and immune regulatory proteins within the implant site. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the unicCa surface, drawing correlations between and results. It emphasizes the considerable potential of unicCa surfaces in enhancing osteogenic behavior and immunomodulation. These findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms governing the interplay between biomaterials and bone cells, thereby facilitating the development of improved implant surfaces for applications in bone tissue engineering.