Surface modification of titanium with β-CD/polydopamine for a controlled release of lovastatin, and its effect on the enhanced osteogenic activity

In this study, we prepared lovastatin (LV)-loaded β-cyclodextrin/polydopamine-coated titanium (Ti) discs and screw types (LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti), evaluated its efficacy on the enhancement of osteogenic activity in vitro and in vivo, as compared to pristine Ti and β-CD-pDOPA/Ti. The surface chemical compositions, surface morphology, wettability of these surfaces were characterized by XPS, SEM and contact angle measurement, respectively. The initial burst of LV on LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti occurred within 1 day, followed by the release for 30 days in a sustained manner. Through in vitro tests, higher MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation rate and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and larger calcium deposition were observed on LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti. In vivo animal test and histological evaluation showed enhanced bone formation and osseointegration at the interface between LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti and host bone. Consequently, we suggested that surface modification with LV on Ti implants as with LV-ic-β-CD-pDOPA/Ti modification could improve clinical performance for various orthopedic and dental implants.