Optimization of Lactoferrin-derived Amyloid Coating for Enhancing Soft Tissue Seal and Antibacterial Activity of Titanium Implants.

A poor seal of the titanium implant-soft tissue interface provokes bacterial invasion, aggravates inflammation and ultimately results in implant failure. To ensure the long-term success of titanium implants, lactoferrin-derived amyloid was coated on the titanium surface to increase the expression of cell integrins and hemidesmosomes, with the goal of promoting soft tissue seal and imparting antibacterial activity to the implants. The lactoferrin-derived amyloid coated titanium (LAT) structures contained a large number of amino and carboxyl groups on their surfaces, and promoted proliferation and adhesion of epithelial cells and fibroblasts via the PI3K/AKT pathway. The amyloid coating also had a strong positive charge and possessed potent antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Porphyromonas gingivalis. In a rat immediate implantation model, the amyloid-coated titanium implants formed gingival junctional epithelium at the transmucosal region that resembled the junctional epithelium in natural teeth. This provides a strong soft tissue seal to wall off infection. Taken together, lactoferrin-derived amyloid is a dual-function transparent coating that promotes soft tissue seal and possesses antibacterial activity. These unique properties enable the synthesized amyloid to be used as potential biological implant coatings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.