Attachment of human primary osteoblast cells to modified polyethylene surfaces.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has a long history of use in medical devices, primarily for articulating surfaces due to its inherent low surface energy which limits tissue integration. To widen the applications of UHMWPE, the surface energy can be increased. The increase in surface energy would improve the adsorption of proteins and attachment of cells to allow tissue integration, thereby allowing UHMWPE to potentially be used for a wider range of implants. The attachment and function of human primary osteoblast-like (HOB) cells to surfaces of UHMWPE with various levels of incorporated surface oxygen have been investigated. The surface modification of the UHMWPE was produced by exposure to a UV/ozone treatment. The resulting surface chemistry was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the topography and surface structure were probed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed an increase in surface oxygen from 11 to 26 atom % with no significant change to the surface topography. The absolute root mean square roughness of both untreated and UV/ozone-treated surfaces was within 350-450 nm, and the water contact angles decreased with increasing oxygen incorporation, i.e., showing an increase in surface hydrophilicity. Cell attachment and functionality were assessed over a 21 day period for each cell-surface combination studied; these were performed using SEM and the alamarBlue assay to study cell attachment and proliferation and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis to confirm extracellular mineral deposits, and total protein assay to examine the intra- and extracellular protein expressed by the cells. HOB cells cultured for 21 days on the modified UHMWPE surfaces with 19 and 26 atom % oxygen incorporated showed significantly higher cell densities compared to cells cultured on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) from day 3 onward. This indicated that the cells attached and proliferated more readily on the UV/ozone-treated UHMWPE surfaces than on untreated UHMWPE and TCPS surfaces. Contact guidance of the cells was observed on the UHMWPE surfaces by both SEM and AFM. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the cells were confluent on the modified UHMWPE surfaces by day 10, which led to visible layering of the cells by day 21, an indicator of nodule formation. In vitro mineralization of the extracellular matrix expressed by the HOB cells on the modified UHMWPE surfaces was confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis; spherulite structures were observed near cell protrusions by day 21. EDX analysis confirmed the spherulites to contain calcium and phosphorus, the major constituents in calcium phosphate apatite, the mineral phase of bone. Overall cell attachment, functionality, and mineralization were found to be enhanced on the UV/ozone-modified UHMWPE surfaces, demonstrating the importance of optimizing the surface chemistry for primary HOB cells.

Biological background and role of adiponectin as marker for insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.

Adiponectin is a serum protein secreted by adipocytes and accounts for approximately 0.01% of total plasma protein. In healthy patient populations adiponectin can be found in concentrations of 7-12 mg/l. Unlike other adipocyte products, adiponectin correlates with decreased free fatty acid blood concentrations and reduced body mass index or body weight. Adiponectin protects from vascular diseases by inhibiting local proinflammatory signals, preventing preatherogenic plaque formation, and by impeding arterial wall thickening. Proinflammatory state and endothelial dysfunction are nominators of the metabolic syndrome, a complex set of risk factors including vascular and metabolic insulin resistance with hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Over the past years, thiazolidinediones, like rosiglitazone or pioglitazone, became known as a therapeutic option for patients suffering from the metabolic syndrome. It is considered that insulin sensitizers exert their benefit through indirect induction of adiponectin expression. Clinical studies have confirmed that treatment with thiazolidinediones may increase adiponectin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes independent from improvements in blood glucose control or parallel treatment with insulinotropic drugs. These findings suggest that adiponectin may have a diagnostic value and can be used especially for monitoring treatment success. This review summarizes recent biological and clinical data indicating that adiponectin may be the molecular link between obesity and insulin resistance and may serve as a biomarker for the metabolic syndrome.

Purification and characterisation of lipoglycan macroamphiphiles from Propionibacterium acnes.

Lipidated macroamphiphiles such as the lipoteichoic acids and mycobacterial lipoarabinomannans are cell envelope components of Gram-positive bacteria that have been extensively associated with the pathogenesis of disease. In order to study such associations, purification of these macroamphiphiles is essential for resolving their structures and diverse biological effects. We describe herein a method for purification of lipoglycan components from Propionibacterium acnes. This method uses the existing phenol-water extraction, followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and an additional purification step that utilises preparative electrophoresis for the separation of two lipoglycan components. Analysis of these lipoglycans revealed evidence for a lipid anchor based on fatty acids whilst the polysaccharide moiety contained significant amounts of mannose, glucose and galactose, together with an amino sugar suspected of being a diaminohexuronic acid. These latter components have been previously identified as components of the P. acnes cell wall polysaccharide. Consequently, it is proposed that there may be a relationship between the structures of these distinctive cell envelope polymers.