Effects of a multilayered DNA/protamine coating on titanium implants on bone responses

DNA coating on dental titanium (Ti) implants is attracting attention due to its osteogenic properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro and in vivo bioactivities of a multilayered DNA/protamine (D/P) coating on Ti implant by simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion experiments and implantation experiments into extracted sockets of rat molars. Two types of DNA, 300 base pair (bp) and 7000 bp fragments, were used. Protamine was initially immobilized onto Ti implants using a tresyl chloride-activated method and DNA and protamine were then alternatively deposited after the immobilization of protamine by a layer-by-layer technique. A multilayered D/P-coating was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. The deposition of apatite progressed more on the surfaces of multilayered D/P-coated Ti implants than on those of nontreated Ti implants in SBF immersion experiments. Animal implantation experiments showed that multilayered D/P-coated Ti implants provided a significantly higher bone-to-implant (BIC) contact ratio 3 weeks after implantation. No significant difference was observed in the BIC ratio 9 weeks after implantation. The results of the present study demonstrated that a multilayered D/P-coating promoted new bone formation at the early stages of the bone healing process. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1500-1509, 2016.