Influence of mucin pre-adsorption for lipoteichoic acid adsorption on titanium surfaces

We investigated the adsorption of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) on titanium surfaces by using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method, and confirmed the influence of mucin (MUC) pre-adsorption on LTA adsorption. Two injection methods were evaluated. Namely, Method A: single-step injection of LTA solution to the Ti sensor, and Method B: MUC solution was injected to the Ti sensor followed by LTA injection on the MUC pre-adsorbed surface. QCM measurement revealed that the adsorbed amount of LTA by Method A was low and constant regardless of the increase in LTA concentration. In contrast, the adsorption amount of LTA in Method B increased according with increasing concentration of LTA and was significantly higher than that of Method A. The hydrophobic surface after MUC pre-adsorption was presumed to contribute to the enhancement of LTA adsorption. Our results revealed that MUC pre-adsorption to Ti is necessary for LTA adsorption in living tissue.