Osteoblast response to the surface of amino acid-functionalized hydroxyapatite

Interactions between proteins and the surface of biomaterials are crucial for the biological function and success of materials implanted in the human body. In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) with negative and positive surface charges were fabricated by functionalizing the HA surface with acidic or basic amino acids. The influence of HA surface charge on protein adsorption and cell activities was studied. The crystallinity, morphology, and surface charge of amino acid-functionalized HA (AA-HA) particles and the stability of amino acids on the HA surface were determined. Both AA-HA and unmodified HA were studied for their capacity to adsorb proteins present in biological medium. The results showed that the presence of glutamic acid; Glu (acidic amino acids) and arginine; Arg (basic amino acids) on the HA surface resulted in higher protein adsorption owing to stronger electrostatic attraction between the HA particles and the proteins in medium. Functionalizing HA with Glu and Arg significantly promoted osteoblast adhesion on the surface of treated HA. No significant differences in cell proliferation between negatively and positively charged HA was observed. Significantly higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of osteoblasts on both charged surfaces was seen as compared to the unmodified HA. The study demonstrated that immobilization of amino acids (Glu and Arg) on the surface of HA promoted osteoblast proliferation and ALP activity.