Antimicrobial and osteogenic effect of Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface

Yanhua Zheng¹, Jinbo Li², Xuanyong Liu², Jiao Sun^1
1Shanghai Biomaterials Research and Testing Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of China; ²State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, People’s Republic of China

Abstract: Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface was prepared by hydrothermal treatment with H₂O₂ followed by Ag plasma immersion ion implantation. Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Candida albicans were chosen for antimicrobial tests. Genes related to microbial structure or adhesion, namely glucan-binding proteins B (GbpB), fimbria protein A (FimA), and agglutinin-like sequence4 (Als4), were examined. The osteoblast’s attachment, viability, and quantitative analysis of osteogenic gene expression (Alp, Ocn, RunX2) on titanium surfaces were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that Ag nanoparticles of approximately 10 nm were incorporated on the nanostructured surface of titanium after Ag plasma immersion ion implantation. Trials showed that 93.99% of S. mutans, 93.57% of P. g, and 89.78% of C. albicans were killed on the Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface. Gene expressions from the three microorganisms confirmed the antimicrobial activities of the Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface. Furthermore, the adhesive images and viability assays indicated that the Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface did not impair osteoblasts. The expressions of osteoblast phenotype genes in cells grown on the Ag-implanted titanium surface were significantly increased. The results of this study suggest that the Ag-implanted titanium with a nanostructured surface displays good antimicrobial properties, reducing gene expressions of microorganisms, and excellent cell adhesion and osteogenic effects.

Keywords: titanium, nanostructured, silver, antimicrobial, osteogenic

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