Extracellular matrix–mimicking surface feature enhances biocompatibility and antibacterial performance of titanium implants

Abstract

Sand-blasting and acid-etching (SLA) is widely adopted as a standard surface treatment for titanium (Ti) dental implants; however, SLA-treated surfaces remain biologically inert and often fail to elicit sufficient osseointegration, particularly under compromised conditions such as aging. Given the critical coupling between biocompatibility and antibacterial performance during bone regeneration, there is a pressing need to develop bioactive Ti surfaces that more closely recapitulate the native extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment, particularly for elderly people with pore bone quality. In this study, a hierarchical ECM-mimicking Ti surface was fabricated by sequential SLA and alkali treatments, followed by surface grafting of type I collagen crosslinked with the natural polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This strategy generated a superhydrophilic three-dimensional fibrous network with nano-, submicron-, and micron-scale features resembling native ECM architecture. Surface morphology, roughness, hydrophilicity, and collagen retention were systematically characterized. Compared with conventional SLA-treated surfaces, the EGCG-crosslinked collagen-modified Ti surfaces significantly enhanced not only the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but also the adhesion and extracellular matrix mineralization of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, indicating improved biocompatibility. Furthermore, this ECM-mimic surface feature also effectively inhibited the oral bacterial adhesion of Streptococcus mutans. In summary, the results demonstrate that the proposed ECM-mimicking Ti surface simultaneously promotes biocompatibility while suppressing bacterial adhesion. This simple and effective surface modification strategy holds strong potential for improving the biological performance of Ti dental implants, particularly in the elderly.