Multi-functional nano-adhesive releasing therapeutic ions for MMP-deactivation and remineralization

Restoration of hard tissue in conjunction with adhesive is a globally challenging issue in medicine and dentistry. Common clinical therapies involving application of adhesive and substitute material for functional or anatomical recovery are still suboptimal. Biomaterials with bioactivity and inhibitory effects of enzyme-mediated adhesive degradation can render a solution to this. Here, we designed a novel copper-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles (CuBGn) to offer multifunction: metalloproteinases (MMP) deactivation and remineralization and incorporated the CuBGn in resin-dentin adhesive systems, which showed most common failure of MMP mediated adhesive degradation among hard tissue adhesives, to evaluate proposed therapeutic effects. A sol-gel derived bioactive glass nanoparticles doping 10 wt% of Cu (Cu-BGn) for releasing Cu ions, which were well-known MMP deactivator, were successfully created and included in light-curing dental adhesive (DA), a filler-free co-monomer resin blend, at different concentrations (up to 2 wt%). These therapeutic adhesives (CuBGn-DA) showed enhanced (a)cellular bioactivity, cytocompatibility, microtensile bond strength and MMP deactivation-ability. In conclusion, the incorporation of Cu ions releasing nano-bioactive glass demonstrated multifunctional properties at the resin-dentin interface; MMP deactivation and remineralization, representing a suitable strategy to extend the longevity of adhesive-hard tissue (i.e. resin-dentin) interfaces.