SURFACE MICROGROOVES OF THIRTY MICROMETERS IN WIDTH ON TITANIUM SUBSTRATA ENHANCE PROLIFERATION AND ALTER GENE EXPRESSION OF CULTURED HUMAN GINGIVAL FIBROBLASTS

Statement of problem. Surface microgrooves on Ti substrata have been shown to alter the expression of genes responsible for various biological activities of cultured fibroblasts. However, their effect on enhancing cell proliferation is not yet clear. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the dimension of surface microgrooves on Ti substrata that enhances proliferation and alters gene expression of cultured human gingival fibroblasts. Material and methods. Commercially pure Ti discs with surface microgrooves of monotonous $3.5{\mu}m$ in depth and respective 15 and $30{\mu}m$ in width were fabricated using photolithography and used as the culture substrata in the two experimental groups in this study (TiD15 and TiD30), whereas the smooth Ti was used as the control substrata (smooth Ti group). Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured on the three groups of titanium substrata and the proliferation, DNA synthesis, and gene expression of theses cells were analyzed and compared between all groups using XTT assay, BrdU assay, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. Results. From the XTT assay at 48 h incubation, the proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts in TiD30 was significantly enhanced compared to that in smooth Ti and TiD15. The results from the BrdU assay showed that, at 24 h incubation, the DNA synthesis was significantly enhanced in TiD30 compared to that in smooth Ti. In RT-PCR, increase in the expression of PCR transcripts of fibronectin, CDK6, $p21^{cip1}$ genes was noted at 48h incubation. Conclusion. Surface microgrooves $30{\mu}m$ in width and $3.5{\mu}m$ in depth on Ti substrata enhance proliferation and alter gene expression of cultured human gingival fibroblasts.