While in vitro studies have shown that nanoscale surface modifications influence cell fate and activity, there is little information on how they modulate healing at the bone-implant interface.
Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of nanotopography at early time intervals when critical events for implant integration occur.
Materials & methods: Untreated and sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide-treated machined-surface titanium alloy implants were placed in rat tibiae. Samples were processed for DNA microarray analysis and histomorphometry.
Results: At both 3 and 5 days, the gene expression profile of the healing tissue around nanotextured implants differed from that around machined-surface implants or control empty holes, and were accompanied by an increase in bone-implant contact on day 5. While some standard pathways such as the immune response predominated, a number of unclassified genes were also implicated.
Conclusion: Nanotexture elicits an initial gene response that is more complex than suspected so far and favors healing at the bone-implant interface.