title: Surface plasma functionalization influences macrophage behavior on carbon nanowalls.
abstract: The surfaces of carbon nanowall samples as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications were treated with oxygen or nitrogen plasma to improve their wettability and to functionalize their surfaces with different functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle results illustrated the effective conversion of the carbon nanowall surfaces from hydrophobic to hydrophilic and the incorporation of various amounts of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen functional groups during the treatments. The early inflammatory responses elicited by un-treated and modified carbon nanowall surfaces were investigated by quantifying tumor necrosis factor-alpha and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha released by attached RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence studies were employed to investigate the changes in macrophage morphology and adhesive properties, while MTT assay was used to quantify cell proliferation. All samples sustained macrophage adhesion and growth. In addition, nitrogen plasma treatment was more beneficial for cell adhesion in comparison with un-modified carbon nanowall surfaces. Instead, oxygen plasma functionalization led to increased macrophage adhesion and spreading suggesting a more activated phenotype, confirmed by elevated cytokine release. Thus, our findings showed that the chemical surface alterations which occur as a result of plasma treatment, independent of surface wettability, affect macrophage response in vitro.
authors.affiliation: University of Bucharest, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 91-95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ion
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor, PO Box MG-36, 077125, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Sorin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vizireanu
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor, PO Box MG-36, 077125, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania; Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia Elena
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Stancu
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor, PO Box MG-36, 077125, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Catalin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luculescu
authors.affiliation: University of Bucharest, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 91-95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: anisoara.cimpean@bio.unibuc.ro.
authors.forename: Anisoara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cimpean
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor, PO Box MG-36, 077125, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Gheorghe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dinescu
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D054405:Chemokine CCL3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Carbon nanowall; Functional group; Inflammatory response; Macrophage; Plasma treatment