The effect of laser-treated titanium surface on human gingival fibroblast behavior.

Surface modification, as a means of enhancing soft tissue integration in titanium would have significant advantages including less marginal bone resorption, predictable esthetic outcome, improved soft tissue stability, and seal against bacterial leakage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of laser-roughened titanium surfaces on human gingival fibroblast (HGF) viability, proliferation, and adhesion. Titanium discs were ablated with impulse laser in four different patterns. Polished and sand-blasted titanium discs were used as control groups. Specimen surface properties were determined using optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. HGF behavior on modified surfaces was analyzed using cell adhesion, viability, proliferation, and ELISA assays. Results suggested that modified Ti surfaces did not affect the viability of HGFs and improved adhesion was measured in laser treatment groups after 24 h. However, proliferation study showed that the adsorbance of fibroblast cells after 72 h cultured on polished titanium was higher and comparable with that of control cells. As for focal adhesion kinase (FAK), cells grown on laser modified surfaces had higher expression of FAK as compared with polished titanium. In conclusion, tested laser-treated surfaces seem to favor HGF adhesion. There were no significant differences between different laser treatment groups.

Anti-inflammatory potential of melanocortin receptor-directed drugs.

Melanocortin receptor-based drug discovery is particularly active in the field of neuroendocrine systems and is mostly related to food intake and novel obesity therapies. The immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of nonpeptidic, low molecular weight compounds activating the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) provide a new principle for treating various types of inflammation, such as dermal, joint, and gastrointestinal, probably by virtue of the effects acting through modulation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Several reports demonstrate that alpha-MSH, for example, has anti-inflammatory effects in different models. The aim of our study was to design, synthesize, and characterize compounds that bind to and activate the MC1R in vitro. The binding affinities are submicromolar to this receptor, and activation of the receptor (cAMP assay) varies from full agonists to partial agonists as well as antagonists. In vivo, the compounds exert prominent anti-inflammatory effects, with efficacy in the same range as that of dexamethasone, for example. The potential advantages of MC1R-based anti-inflammatory effects versus glucocorticosteroids, for example, are that the latter, albeit exerting prominent anti-inflammatory effects, also have many side effects that most likely will not characterize an MC1R-based anti-inflammatory drug.