Chimeric Peptides Quickly Modify the Surface of Personalized 3D Printing Titanium Implants to Promote...

Titanium (Ti) and titanium alloys have been widely used in the field of biomedicine. However, the unmatched biomechanics and poor bioactivities of conventional Ti implants usually lead to insufficient osseointegration. To tackle these challenges, it is critical to develop a novel Ti implant that meets the bioadaptive requirements for load-bearing critical bone defects. Notably, three-dimensional (3D)-printed Ti implants mimic the microstructure and mechanical properties of natural bones. Additionally, eco-friendly techniques based on inorganic-binding peptides have been applied to modify Ti surfaces. Herein, in our study, Ti surfaces were modified to reinforce osseointegration using chimeric peptides constructed by connecting W9, RP1P, and minTBP-1 directly or via (GP)₄, respectively. PR1P is derived from the extracellular VEGF-binding domain of prominin-1, which increases the expression of VEGF and promotes the binding of VEGF to endothelial cells, thereby accelerating angiogenesis. W9 induces osteoblast differentiation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and human mesenchymal stem cells to promote bone formation. Overall, chimeric peptides promote osseointegration by promoting angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Additionally, chimeric peptides with P3&4 were more effective than those with P1&2 in improving osseointegration, which might be ascribed to the capacity of P3&4 to provide a greater range for chimeric peptides to express their activity. This work successfully used chimeric peptides to modify 3D-Ti implant surfaces to improve osseointegration on the implant-bone surface.