Fibronectin modified TiO₂ nanotubes modulate endothelial cell behavior

Cardiovascular disease has become a great threat to the health of mankind; current titanium (Ti) stents fail due to late stent thrombosis caused by the lack of re-endothelialization of the Ti stent. The objective of this study was to design a novel cardiovascular Ti implant with improved surface biocompatibility. TiO₂ nanotubes with a diameter of 110 nm were anodized at a constant voltage of 30 V, and fibronectin was immobilized onto the TiO₂ nanotubes using polydopamine. The element composition, morphology, and wettability of the different substrate surfaces were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements, respectively, confirming the successful immobilization of fibronectin. In vitro experiments including immunofluorescence staining, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2) release demonstrate that fibronectin modified TiO₂ nanotubes supported cell adhesion, proliferation, and normal cellular functions of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These methodologies can be applied for future fabrication of cardiovascular stents.