Early establishment of soft-tissue adhesion and seal at the transmucosal and transcutaneous surface of implants is crucial to prevent infection and ensure the long-term stability and function of implants. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that treatment of titanium with ultraviolet (UV) light would enhance its interaction with epithelial cells. X-ray spectroscopy showed that UV treatment significantly reduced the atomic percentage of surface carbon on titanium from 46.1% to 28.6%. Peak fitting analysis revealed that, among the known adventitious carbon contaminants, C-C and C=O groups were significantly reduced after UV treatment, while other groups were increased or unchanged in percentage. UV-treated titanium attracted higher numbers of human epithelial cells than untreated titanium and allowed more rapid cell spread. Hemi-desmosome-related molecules, integrin β4 and laminin-5, were upregulated at the gene and protein levels in the cells on UV-treated surfaces. The result of the detachment test revealed twice as many cells remaining adherent on UV-treated than untreated titanium. The enhanced cellular affinity of UV-treated titanium was equivalent to laminin-5 coating of titanium. These data indicated that UV treatment of titanium enhanced the attachment, adhesion, and retention of human epithelial cells associated with disproportional removal of adventitious carbon contamination, providing a new strategy to improve soft-tissue integration with implant devices.
Keywords: dental and orthopedic implants; hydrocarbon; photofunctionalization; soft tissue.