Optimization of amino group density on surfaces of titanium dioxide nanoparticles covalently bonded to a silicone substrate for antibacterial and cell adhesion activities.

A composite consisting of titanium dioxide (TiO2) particle, the surface of which was modified with amino groups, and a silicone substrate through covalent bonding at their interface was developed, and antibacterial and cell adhesion activities of the composite were evaluated. The density of the amino groups on the TiO2 particle surface was controlled by the reaction time of the modification reaction. The degradation rate of CH3CHO in the presence of the TiO2 particles under UV irradiation decreased with an increase in the amino group density on the TiO2 surface. On the other hand, the number of L929 cells adhering on the TiO2/silicone composite increased with an increase in the amino group density. From the above two results, the optimum density of amino groups for both photoreactivity and cell adhesiveness was estimated to be 2.0-4.0 molecules/nm2. The optimum amino group-modified TiO2/silicone composite sheet (amino group density, 3.0 molecules/nm2) showed an effective antibacterial activity for Escherichia coli bacteria under UV irradiation.

Increase in cell adhesiveness on a poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabric by sintered hydroxyapatite nanocrystal coating in the development of an artificial blood vessel.

Nano-scaled sintered hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals were covalently linked onto a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric substrate chemically modified by graft polymerization with gamma-methacryloxypropyl triethoxysilane (MPTS) for development of an artificial blood vessel. The weight gain of graft polymerization with poly(MPTS) on PET in benzyl alcohol containing H2O2 as an initiator increased as increasing the reaction time and finally reached a plateau value of about 3.5 wt%. The surface characterization of surface modification with poly(MPTS)-grafting was conducted by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. HAp nanocrystals of approximately 50 nm in diameter, monodispersed in pure ethanol, were coupled with alkoxysilyl groups of the poly(MPTS)-grafted PET substrate. The HAp nanocrystals were uniformly and strongly coated on the surface of the PET fabrics, although HAp particles adsorbed physically on the original PET without poly(MPTS) grafting were almost removed by ultrasonic wave treatment. More human umbilical vein endothelial cells adhered to the HAp/PET composite fabric compared with original PET after only 4 hours of initial incubation, and the same was observed on the collagen-coated PET. The coating of sintered HAp nanocrystals imparted bioactivity to the polyester substrate, which is a widely used biomedical polymer, without a coating of adhesion proteins derived from animals, such as collagen or gelatin. A prototype of an artificial blood vessel was finally fabricated by use of HAp/PET composite.

Nano-scaled hydroxyapatite/polymer composite III. Coating of sintered hydroxyapatite particles on poly(4-methacryloyloxyethyl trimellitate anhydride)-grafted silk fibroin fibers.

A novel composite coupling between nano-scaled hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles and poly[4-methacryloyloxyethyl trimellitate anhydride (4-META)]-grafted silk fibroin (SF) through ionic interaction was synthesized. The weight gain of poly(4-META) by graft-polymerization increased with increasing the reaction time, eventually reaching a plateau value of about 20 wt%. The HAp nano-particles were adsorbed equally and dispersively on the treated SF fiber surface. The HAp content in the composite was 4.554 wt% +/- 0.098 (n = 4), confirmed by thermogravimetry (TG). This synthetic system requires no heat to connect HAp to SF and is useful when applying to non-heat-resistant polymers. The L-929 cell-adhesion test shows that the HAp/SF composite improves bioactivity compared to the original SF.

Nano-scaled hydroxyapatite/polymer composite IV. Fabrication and cell adhesion properties of a three-dimensional scaffold made of composite material with a silk fibroin substrate to develop a percutaneous device.

Nano-scaled sintered hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles with an a-axis length of 87 +/- 23 nm, a c-axis length of 236 +/- 81 nm, and a mean aspect ratio ( c/ a) of 2.72 were covalently linked onto a silk fibroin (SF) substrate chemically modified by graft polymerization with gamma-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTS). Graft polymerization with poly(MPTS) on SF was conducted by free-radical initiation in a water solvent with pentaethylene glycol dodecyl ether as a nonionic surfactant. The alkoxysilyl groups of the graft polymers avoided hydrolysis and maintained their activity in coupling with the hydroxyl groups on the HAp surface despite the use of water as the reaction solvent. The weight gain of poly(MPTS) on SF increased with increasing the reaction time, eventually reaching a plateau value of about 15 wt% after 50 min of reaction time. After HAp covalent coating, the particles separated or aggregated into several crystals, as shown by scanning electron microscopic observation. L929 fibroblast cells adhered more plentifully on HAp-coated SF compared to untreated SF and hydrolyzed poly(MPTS)-grafted SF during 24 h or 48 h of incubation. The cells adhered only on the HAp surface but not at all on the dehydrated grafted surface of SF without HAp. A button-shaped prototype for a percutaneous device was manufactured by transplantation of HAp-coated SF fibers of about 100 microm in length onto silicone moldings using an adhesive, and the device showed good cell adhesiveness.