Proteomic profile of the saliva and plasma protein layer adsorbed on Ti-Zr alloy: the effect of sandblasted and acid-etched surface treatment.

Titanium-zirconium (Ti-Zr) alloy has been widely used as a biomaterial for implant devices, and it is commonly treated by sandblasting followed by acid etching (SLA) to improve biological responses. Although protein adsorption is the first biological response, the effect of this SLA treatment on the proteomic profile of proteins adsorbed from saliva and blood plasma has not been tested. In this study, the proteomic profile was evaluated by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Streptococcus sanguinis was used to test whether the protein layer affects bacterial adhesion. SLA treatment affected the proteomic profile, showing exclusive proteins adsorbed from saliva (14) and plasma (3). However, both groups exhibited close patterns of intensity for common proteins, molecular functions and biological processes mediated by proteins. Interestingly, Ti-Zr(SLA) showed higher bacterial adhesion ( approximately 1.9 fold over) for the surface coated with plasma proteins. Therefore, SLA treatment of Ti-Zr alloy changed the proteomic profile, which may affect bacterial adhesion.