Identification of differentially expressed genes in human alveolar bone cells cultured on different titanium surfaces

Abstract

itanium implants have been extensively used in orthopedics and dentistry, mainly as a replacement for missing teeth. Titanium is a metal implant of choice due to its high biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, as well as absence of immune response while promoting osseointegration. The biocompatibility of the material depends on cellular response in contact with the surface; therefore, changes on this surface can have beneficial impacts on osseointegration through changes in interactions with cells at the implant site, such as osteoblastic cells. The objective of this project is to characterize the behavior of osteoblastic cells from human alveolar bone crest in contact with different titanium surfaces: control (smooth surface) nanotextured, submicrotexture with a superimposed nanotexture and surface without distinctive pattern. The biochemical assays to be performed will be cell proliferation and viability, total protein content and alkaline phosphatase activity in addition to the detection and quantification of mineralized nodules, using the ANOVA statistical test (5% significance). Induced and repressed genes in cells in contact with the various titanium surfaces will also be identified by means of oligoarray method using Agilent format 4 x 44 K slides and miRNA analysis. The data will be analyzed with the aid of specialized bioinformatics programs such as SAM (significance analysis of microarrays), Cluster, TreeView and GeneNetwork and the GeneSpring bioinformatics platform (Agilent). From these transcription levels data we will rebuild gene interaction networks to finally assess the role of each gene in response to contact with the titanium surface. (AU)