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Nano Research 2023, 16(5): 7293-7303 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5379-y
Research Article | Issue | Published: 01 February 2023

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

Show Author's Information Pingping Han1,2( ),  Tianqi Guo2,3,  Anjana Jayasree2,3,  Guillermo A. Gomez4,  Karan Gulati2,3( ),  Sašo Ivanovski1,2,3( )
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
The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
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
Centre for Cancer Biology, South Australia Pathology and the University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
Keywords:
nanopores, nanotopography, titanium, mechanotransduction, fibroblast mechanosensing, ligament differentiation
Topics:
CytologyNanotubes
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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 Research, 2023, 16(5): 7293-7303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5379-y
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

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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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

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

Show Author's information Pingping Han1,2( ), Tianqi Guo2,3, Anjana Jayasree2,3, Guillermo A. Gomez4, Karan Gulati2,3( ), Sašo Ivanovski1,2,3( )
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
The University of Queensland, School of Dentistry, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
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
Centre for Cancer Biology, South Australia Pathology and the University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia

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.

Keywords: nanopores, nanotopography, titanium, mechanotransduction, fibroblast mechanosensing, ligament differentiation

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 18 September 2022
Revised: 01 December 2022
Accepted: 03 December 2022
Published: 01 February 2023
Issue date: May 2023

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2023

Acknowledgements

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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