Investigating the addition of collagen and its integrin binding sequence (RGD) to glass polyalkenoate: In terms of material and cellular properties to explore a more biocompatible method of root caries restoration

AIMS

Placement of a restoration to treat root caries disrupts many tissues. There is scope for the restorative material to interact with these to augment reductions in micro leakage afforded by an adhesive restorative material.

OBJECTIVES

1) To investigate the effects of incorporating bioactive molecules into a glass polyalkenoate (GPA) 2) To quantify the changes in physical properties of the material.

METHODS

Biocompatibility of the GPA cement (Chemfil Superior, Dentsply De Trey, Konstanz, Germany) in unmodified and modified forms was ascertained using cell culture techniques. The optimum concentration of bioactive components required to promote cell attachment was determined indirectly by quantification and localisation of the fibroblast marker vimentin. The properties of surface hardness, compressive strength and adhesive bond strength were also determined prior to and following addition of the bio-additives: collagen type I and a pentapeptide containing Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD).

RESULTS

Addition of Type I Collagen (100μg/ml) and RGD (5mg/ml) to ChemFil Superior had no statistically significant effect upon the compressive strength and bond strength to bovine enamel but significantly (P<0.05) increased the materials shore hardness. The addition of RGD to ChemFil Superior increased most the expression of vimentin, indicating that the cells had become more fibroblastic. This may be indicative of increased synthesis of extracellular matrix macromolecules with the potential to foster adhesion of the modified glass polyalkenoate to distracted gingival tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that addition of bioactive molecules to GPA cement for subgingival restorations has potential clinical applications.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

It is possible to envisage that the additions, as described in this paper, could foster the attachment of displaced gingival tissues to GPA restorative materials placed subgingivally where root caries has been treated. This would offer potential to form a seal around the restoration by the attached gingival tissues avoiding a periodontal pocket and depriving residual cariogenic bacteria of a nutrient supply. Further investigation of the effects upon other similar materials of such additions is warranted.

A novel “sandwich” assay for quantifying chemo-regulated cell migration within 3-dimensional matrices: Wound healing cytokines exhibit distinct motogenic activities compared to the transmembrane assay

The extracellular matrix profoundly affects cellular response to soluble motogens. In view of this critical aspect of matrix functionality, we have developed a novel assay to quantify chemo-regulated cell migration within biologically relevant 3-dimensional matrices. In this "sandwich" assay, target cells are plated at the interface between an upper and lower matrix compartment, either in the presence of an isotropic (uniform) or anisotropic (gradient) spatial distribution of test motogen. Cell migration in response to the different conditions is ascertained by quantifying their subsequent disposition within the upper and lower matrix compartments. The objective of this study has been to compare the motogenic activities of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-AB) and transforming growth factor-beta isoforms (TGF-beta1, -beta2 and -beta3) in the sandwich assay and the commonly employed transmembrane assay. As previously reported, dermal fibroblasts exhibited a motogenic response to isotropic and anisotropic distributions of all tested cytokines in the transmembrane assay. In contrast, only PDGF-AB and TGF-beta3 were active in the sandwich assay, each eliciting directionally unbiased (symmetrical) migration into the upper and lower type I collagen matrices in response to an isotropic cytokine distribution and a directionally biased response to an anisotropic distribution. TGF-beta1 and -beta2 were completely devoid of motogenic activity. These results are consistent with the reported differential bioactivities of PDGF and TGF-beta3 compared to TGF-beta1 and -beta2 in animal models of wound healing and suggest that the sandwich assay provides a means of obtaining physiologically relevant data regarding chemo-regulated cell migration.

Motogenic and biosynthetic response of adult skin fibroblasts to TGF-beta isoforms (-1, -2 and -3) determined by 'tissue response unit': role of cell density and substratum

We have recently demonstrated that the three principal mammalian isoforms of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) exert distinct effects upon: (1) the migration of confluent adult fibroblasts into 3D gels of native type I collagen fibres (i.e. TGF-beta-1 and -2 had no apparent motogenic activity, whilst TGF-beta-3 induced a dose-dependent stimulation of cell migration); and (2) the synthesis of hyaluronan (HA) by these cells is also affected by the TGF-beta isoforms in a manner which parallels their effect on cell migration. The objective of the present study is to elucidate the manner in which this differential activity of the TGF-beta-1, -2 and -3 may be modulated by experimental parameters. Data presented in this communication indicate that cytokine bioactivity is determined by a combination of cell density and the nature of the macromolecular substratum. Thus, we now report that all three TGF-beta isoforms inhibit the migration of subconfluent cells in the collagen gel assay. Our data confirm that the migration of confluent cells is stimulated by TGF-beta-3 and further indicate that this motogenic activity is completely abrogated by either TGF-beta-1 or -2 when these are co-incubated with TGF-beta-3. In contrast to these results obtained using a native type I collagen substratum, all three isoforms stimulated adult fibroblast migration in the transmembrane assay (in which cells are adherent to a 2-D porous polycarbonate substratum). The precise effect of TGF-beta isoforms on HA synthesis was also affected by cell density and the nature of the substratum in a manner which paralleled their diverse effects on cell migration (i.e. stimulation, inhibition or no effect). Streptomyces hyaluronidase completely neutralized the TGF-beta-3-induced stimulation of confluent fibroblast migration, thus suggesting a mechanistic link between the cytokine-induced cell migration and HA synthesis under these conditions. Taken together, these data indicate that: (1) the bioactivity of TGF-beta-1, -2 and -3 are determined by cell density, the macromolecular substratum and the presence of other cytokines; and (2) it is therefore necessary to define cytokine bioactivity within the context of a larger 'tissue response unit' which more fully defines the activity state of the target cell and its microenvironment.

Differential motogenic and biosynthetic response of fetal and adult skin fibroblasts to TGF-beta isoforms

Data are presented in this communication comparing fetal and adult fibroblasts with respect to the effects of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) isoforms (-beta 1, -beta 2 and -beta 3) on cell migration and hyaluronan (HA) synthesis. Cell migration was assessed on three-dimensional native type I collagen substrata. Fetal and adult cells differed in terms of their motogenic response to the three TGF-beta isoforms in a manner which was modulated by cell density, i.e.: (1) the migration of subconfluent fetal cells was unaffected by TGF-beta 1 and -beta 2, but inhibited by TGF-beta 3, whilst the migration of subconfluent adult cells was inhibited by all three isoforms, and (2) the migration of confluent fetal cells was inhibited by all three TGF-beta isoforms, whilst the migration of confluent adult cells was unaffected by TGF-beta 1 and -beta 2, but stimulated by TGF-beta 3. This diverse pattern of motogenic response to the three TGF-beta isoforms was paralleled by similar effects on HA synthesis (i.e. inhibition, no effect or stimulation). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between cell migration and total HA synthesis (r2 = 0.861; P < 0.0001). Gel filtration chromatography of cell-produced HA indicated that the effects of TGF-beta isoforms on total HA synthesis reflected alterations in the relative production of high molecular mass species (M(r) > 10(6)). Taken together with previously published data, these observations indicate that (1) fetal and adult fibroblasts exhibit distinct responses to the three TGF-beta isoforms with respect to both cell migration and HA synthesis, (2) cellular response to the TGF-beta isoforms is modulated by cell density, and (3) TGF-beta 3 is the only isoform which stimulated cell migration and HA synthesis (with confluent adult cells).

Differential effects of TGF-beta1 on hyaluronan synthesis by fetal and adult skin fibroblasts: implications for cell migration and wound healing

Fetal wound healing differs from its adult counterpart in that it is regenerative and occurs without scarring. The matrix macromolecule hyaluronan (HA) and various cytokines, including members of the TGF-beta family, have been implicated in the control of scarring. We have previously reported that adult and fetal fibroblasts differ with respect to the effect of cell density on HA synthesis when cultured on plastic tissue culture dishes. Data regarding the effects of substratum and TGF-beta1 on HA synthesis by these cells are presented in this communication. Our results indicate that HA synthesis by both fetal and adult fibroblasts is (a) up-regulated by culture on a collagen substratum and (b) differentially regulated by TGF-beta1 in a manner which is dependent upon both substratum and cell density. TGF-beta1 stimulated HA synthesis by confluent fetal fibroblasts growing on a plastic substratum, but inhibited HA synthesis on a collagen substratum; these data underscore the important role of the substratum in determining the precise effect of TGF-beta1 on cell behavior. Related studies indicated that the migration of fetal and adult fibroblasts into the collagen substrata was modulated by TGF-beta1 in a manner identical to its effect on HA synthesis. These observations are discussed in terms of the contribution of distinct fibroblast subpopulations to wound healing and the manner in which this is regulated by matrix and cytokines.