Quercitrin-nanocoated titanium surfaces favour gingival cells against oral bacteria

Many dental implants fail due to the infection and inflammation that walk hand in hand with poor healing and soft tissue integration. Titanium surfaces were nanocoated with quercitrin, a natural flavonoid, with the aim to improve soft tissue integration and increase dental implants success. Streptococcus mutans attachment and biofilm formation was analysed. Then, the anti-inflammatory properties and the potential of quercitrin-nanocoated surfaces to boost soft tissue regeneration were tested using human gingival fibroblasts. An inflammatory situation was mimicked using interleulin-1-beta. We found that quercitrin-nanocoated surfaces decreased initial bacterial adhesion while increasing human gingival fibroblasts attachment. Furthermore, quercitrin-nanocoated Ti increased collagen mRNA levels and decreased matrix metalloproteinase-1/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinanse-1 mRNA ratio, which is related to a reduced metalloproteinase-mediated collagen degradation, while also decreasing the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E-2 release under basal and inflammatory conditions. These results suggest that quercitrin-nanocoated surfaces could enhance the soft tissue integration and increase dental implants success.
This work was supported by the Conselleria d'Educacio, Cultura i Universitats of the Balearic Islands Government and the European Social Fund (contract to JMR - PD/018/2014), by the Osteology Foundation (Grant Number: 13-069) and by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER-BBN Mobility grant to MGF). The authors thank Dr. Ferran Hierro (University of the Balearic Islands) for his technical contribution with SEM.