Identification of mesenchymal stromal cell survival responses to antimicrobial silver ion concentrations released from orthopaedic implants

Antimicrobial silver (Ag+) coatings on orthopaedic implants may reduce infection rates, but should not be to the detriment of regenerative cell populations, primarily mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). We determined intramedullary silver release profiles in vivo, which were used to test relevant Ag+ concentrations on MSC function in vitro. We measured a rapid elution of Ag+ from intramedullary pins in a rat femoral implantation model, delivering a maximum potential concentration of 7.8 µM, which was below toxic levels determined for MSCs in vitro (EC50, 33 µM). Additionally, we present in vitro data of the reduced colonisation of implants by Staphylococcus aureus. MSCs exposed to Ag+ prior to/during osteogenic differentiation were not statistically affected. Notably, at clonal density, the colony-forming capacity of MSCs was significantly reduced in the presence of 10 µM Ag+, suggesting that a subpopulation of clonal MSCs was sensitive to Ag+ exposure. At a molecular level, surviving colony-forming MSCs treated with Ag+ demonstrated a significant upregulation of components of the peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin pathway and processes involved in glutathione metabolism compared to untreated controls. Inhibition of glutathione synthesis using l-buthionine sulfoxamine eliminated MSC clonogenicity in the presence of Ag+, which was rescued by exogenous glutathione.