Effects of UV photofunctionalization on the nanotopography enhanced initial bioactivity of titanium

This study addresses the control of the biological capabilities of titanium through specific nanosurface features and its potential modulation by UV photofunctionalization. Rat bone marrow derived osteoblasts were cultured on titanium disks with micropits alone, micropits with 100 nm nodules, micropits with 300 nm nodules, or micropits with 500 nm nodules, with or without UV treatment. After a 24 h incubation protein adsorption, as well as the attachment, retention, and spread of osteoblasts were examined in correlation with the topographical parameters of the titanium substrates. Each of the biological events was governed by a different set of multiple surface topographical factors with a distinctive pattern of regulation. For instance, without UV treatment the protein adsorption and cell attachment capability of titanium substrates increased linearly with increasing average roughness (Ra) and surface area of titanium disks, but increased polynomially with increasing nanonodule diameter. The cell retention capability increased polynomially with increasing nanonodular diameter and Ra, but increased linearly with increasing surface area. Consequently, the micropits with 300 nm nodules created the most favorable environment for this initial osteoblast behavior and response. UV treatment of the nanonodular titanium surfaces resulted in considerable enhancement of all biological events. However, the pattern of UV-mediated enhancement was disproportionate; exponential and overriding effects were observed depending upon the biological event and topographical parameter. As an example of overriding enhancement, the cell retention capability, which fluctuated with changes in various topographical parameters, became invariably high after UV treatment. The present data provide a basis for understanding how to optimize nanostructures to create titanium surfaces with increased biological capabilities and uncover a novel advantage of UV photofunctionalization of titanium substrates that synergistically increases its nanotopography enhanced biological capabilities whereby most of the initial biological events of osteoblasts were overwhelmingly enhanced beyond a simple proportional increase.