American Research Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: The use of titanium plates in dental implants has revolutionized the oral health care in last few decades. Extensive work has been done to justify the use of titanium as a metal of choice for dental surgical interventions but the mechanism explaining its biocompatible properties has not been elucidated yet. Material and methods: In this study we aimed at exploring the role titanium surface coating with calcium phosphate and physical vapors depositing in the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines particularly TNF-alpha (TNFα) and IL-1beta (IL-1β) and chemokines MCP1/CCL2. Human macrophages cell line (THP-1) was used to compare the effect of CaP and PVD coating onto the titanium plates. Results: We characterized the surface topography of titanium plates with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Macrophage attachment and proliferation was assessed using an MTT assay. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF- α, IL 1-β and Ccl-2 chemokines MCP-1 by adherent THP-1 cells was assessed by real time PCR after 24h culture on either smooth non coated (NC), smooth coated with calcium phosphate (CaP), or smooth with physical vapors deposited (PVD) titanium surfaces. The results showed significant down- regulation of TNF-α and IL-β while up-regulation of chemokines MCP1/CCL2 in macrophages cultured onto the both CaP coated and PVD coated surfaces. No significant difference was observed in the level of cellular attachment or proliferation of THP-1 cells to the different titanium surfaces. We hypothesize that the down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes expression possibly modulate the inflammatory response and may facilitate the enhanced bone wound healing after titanium implantation.