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Tunable nano-engineered anisotropic surface for enhanced mechanotransduction and soft-tissue integration

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Abstract

Electrochemically engineered titania (TiO2) nanopores enable tailored cellular function; however, the cellular mechanosensing mechanisms dictating the cell response and soft tissue integration are yet to be elucidated. Here, we report the fabrication of anisotropic TiO2 nanopores with diameters of 46 and 66 nm on microrough titanium (Ti) via electrochemical anodization, towards short- and long-term guidance of human primary gingival fibroblasts (hGFs). Cells on tissue culture plates and bare Ti substrates were used as controls. Notably, we show that nanopores with a diameter of 66 nm induced more mature focal adhesions of vinculin and paxillin at the membrane, encouraged the development of actin fibers at focal adhesion sites, and led to elongated cell and nuclear shape. These topographical-driven changes were attributed to the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac 1) GTPase pathway and nuclear localisation of LAMIN A/C and yes-associated protein (YAP) and associated with increased ligament differentiation with elevated expression of the ligament marker Mohawk homeobox (MKX). Study findings reveal that minor tuning of nanopore diameter is a powerful tool to explore intracellular and nuclear mechanotransduction and gain insight into the relationships between nanomaterials and mechanoresponsive cellular elements.

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Acknowledgements

T. G. and A. J. are supported by the University of Queensland Graduate School Scholarships (UQGSS). K. G. is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship (No. APP1140699). The authors acknowledge the facilities and the scientific and technical assistance of the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, the University of Queensland. This work was performed in part at the Queensland node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility, a company established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy to provide nano- and microfabrication facilities for Australia’s researchers. This work was supported by International Team for Implantology (ITI) and Australian Dental Research Foundation (ADRF) research grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Epigenetics nanodiagnostic and therapeutic group, Center for Oral-facial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia

    Pingping Han & Sašo Ivanovski

  2. The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia

    Pingping Han, Tianqi Guo, Anjana Jayasree, Karan Gulati & Sašo Ivanovski

  3. The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Group for Anodized Therapies for Osseointegration, Regeneration and Stimulation, Center for Oral-facial Regeneration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (COR3), Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia

    Tianqi Guo, Anjana Jayasree, Karan Gulati & Sašo Ivanovski

  4. Centre for Cancer Biology, South Australia Pathology and the University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia

    Guillermo A. Gomez

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  1. Pingping Han
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Correspondence to Pingping Han, Karan Gulati or Sašo Ivanovski.

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Han, P., Guo, T., Jayasree, A. et al. Tunable nano-engineered anisotropic surface for enhanced mechanotransduction and soft-tissue integration. Nano Res. 16, 7293–7303 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5379-y

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