In vitro and in vivo biocompatibility study of surface modified TiN deposited on Ti6Al4V using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering technique

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology Vol. 394; p. 125814
• Main Authors: Liao, Shu-Chuan, Chen, Chih-Ying, Hsu, Yu-Hsuan, Li, Chi-Ting, Hsieh, Cheng-Chi, Tsai, Ming-Shiun, Chan, Man-Yee, Lee, Cheng-Hung, Wang, Sue-Hong, Ng, Shang-Kok, Tsou, Hsi-Kai, Wu, Wan-Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 25.07.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Acrylamide; Acrylamide crosslinking; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; BMP2 attachment; Body fluids; Cell growth; Cytokines; Grafting; HiPIMS; Immobilization; in vitro and in vivo studies; In vitro methods and tests; In vivo methods and tests; Magnetron sputtering; Polymerization; Pretreatment; Protective coatings; Surgical implants; TiN; Titanium base alloys; Toxicity; Wound healing; TiN; in vitro and in vivo studies; HiPIMS; Acrylamide crosslinking; BMP2 attachment
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2020.125814

Although Ti6Al4V alloy is commonly used as a surgical implant, the toxicity of vanadium is always a serious concern. As a stable and protective coating for Ti6Al4V, TiN deposited using a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technique exhibits great polarization resistance in simulated body fluid and shows excellent cell viability of osteoblast-like MG63 cell. Herein, we report further study on the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of the HiPIMS-deposited TiN coatings with various surface modifications. For the in vitro study, the effect of O2 plasma treatment, acrylamide (AAm) graft polymerization, and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) immobilization on the viability of osteoblast-like MG63 cell were examined using the MTT assay. For the in vivo study, the pro-inflammatory cytokines and skin pathology in mice using subcutaneous sensitivity test were conducted. In vitro investigation shows that cell viability is significantly improved for TiN having BMP2 on the surface. When BMP2 was coated on bare TiN, the MG63 cell proliferation decreases with time. However, with surface pre-treatment of TiN using O2 plasma and AAm grafting, BMP2 coated TiN exhibits increasing MG63 cell proliferation with time. Likewise, in vivo investigation shows such sample has enhanced wound healing capability, significant increase of the body weights, obvious decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and improved skin section structure, as compared to the bare Ti6Al4V. The pathological result shows that the TiN treated with O2 plasma and AAm graft polymerization, and with a surface BMP2 layer gives long-term stable immobilization of BMP2 and the best in vivo biocompatibility among all the samples. •TiN on Ti6Al4V has been investigated for in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility.•O2 plasma treatment and AAm grafting on TiN immobilizes BMP2 on the surface.•Immobilized BMP2 on TiN improves MG63 cell proliferation.•Immobilized BMP2 on TiN significantly decreases the TNF-α and IL-1β levels.•Immobilized BMP2 on TiN also gives the optimal pathological results.