In vitro biocompatibility evaluation of surface-modified titanium alloys.
The present work is aimed to evaluate the effects of a surface modification process on the biocompatibility of three vanadium-free titanium alloys with biomedical applications interest. Chemical composition of alloys investigated, in weight %, were Ti-7Nb-6Al, Ti-13Nb-13Zr, and Ti-15Zr-4Nb. An easy and economic method intended to improve the biocompatibiblity of these materials consists in a simple thermal treatment at high temperature, 750 degrees C, in air for different times. The significance of modification of the surface properties to the biological response was studied putting in contact both untreated and thermally treated alloys with human cells in culture, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) and Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC). The TNF-alpha release data indicate that thermal treatment improves the biological response of the alloys. The notable enhancement of the surface roughness upon oxidation could be related with the observed reduction of the TNF-alpha levels for treated alloys. A different behavior of the two cell lines may be observed, when adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in HUVEC, ICAM-1, and LFA-1 in PBMC) were determined, PBMC being more sensitive than HUVEC to the contact with the samples. The data also distinguish surface composition and corrosion resistance as significant parameters for the biological response.
Department of Biochemical Sciences of the University of Florence, Florence, Italy. treves@unifi.it
Cristina
C
Treves
Maria
M
Martinesi
Maria
M
Stio
Alejandro
A
Gutiérrez
José Antonio
JA
Jiménez
María Francisca
MF
López
D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008422:Materials Testing; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
D000497:Alloys; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003470:Culture Media; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D014025:Titanium