Surface modification of zirconia with polydopamine to enhance fibroblast response and decrease bacterial activity in vitro: A potential technique for soft tissue engineering applications

The quality of soft-tissue integration plays an important role in the short- and long-term success of dental implants. The aim of the present study was to provide a surface modification approach for zirconia implant abutment materials and to evaluate its influence on fibroblast behavior and oral bacteria adhesion, which are the two main factors influencing the quality of peri-implant soft-tissue seal. In this study, polydopamine (PDA)-coated zirconia was prepared and the surface characteristics were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, a contact-angle-measuring device, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The responses of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) to PDA-coated zirconia; i.e., adhesion, proliferation, morphology, protein synthesis, and gene expression, were analyzed. Additionally, the adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus mutans to zirconia after PDA coating was assessed by scanning electron microscopy and live/dead staining. The material surface analyses suggested the successful coating of PDA onto the zirconia surface. The PDA coating significantly increased cell adhesion and proliferation compared with pristine zirconia. HGFs exhibited a high degree of spreading and secreted a high level of collagen type I on PDA-modified disks. Upregulation of integrin α5, β1, β3 and fibronectin was noted in HGFs cultured on PDA-coated zirconia. The number of adherent bacteria decreased significantly on zirconia after PDA coating. In summary, our result suggest that PDA is able to modify the surface of zirconia, influence HGFs' behavior and reduce bacterial adhesion. Therefore, this surface modification approach holds great potential for improving soft-tissue integration around zirconia abutments in clinical application.