Effects of polydopamine functionalized titanium dioxide nanotubes on endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell

Previous investigations have demonstrated that TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) with particular structure cues could control the behavior of different types of cells, including endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Besides, polydopamine (PDA) modified surfaces were reported to be beneficial to increase the proliferation and viability of ECs and meanwhile could inhibit the proliferation of SMCs. The TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) were functionalized with polydopamine (PDA) (PDA/NTs) to study the synergetic effect of both nanotopography (NTs) and chemical cues (PDA) of TiO2 nanotubes on the regulation of cellular behavior of ECs and SMCs. The PDA-modified TiO2 nanotubes were subjected to field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle (WCA) analysis. In vitro cell culture tests confirmed that, comparing with flat titanium (Ti) and TiO2 nanotubes, PDA/NTs surface synergistically promoted ECs attachment, proliferation, migration and release of nitric oxide (NO). Meanwhile, the PDA/NTs performed well in reducing SMCs adhesion and proliferation. This novel approach might provide a new platform to investigate the synergistic effect of local chemistry and topography, as well as the applications for the development of titanium-based implants for enhanced endothelialization.