Plant-derived pectin nanocoatings to prevent inflammatory cellular response of osteoblasts following infection.

Background: Bioengineered plant-derived Rhamnogalacturonan-Is (RG-Is) from pectins are potential candidates for surface nanocoating of medical devices. It has recently been reported that RG-I nanocoatings may prevent bacterial infection and improve the biocompatibility of implants. The aim of the study was to evaluate in vitro impact of bioengineered RG-I nanocoatings on osteogenic capacity and proinflammatory cytokine response of murine osteoblasts following infection.

Methods: Murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and isolated primary calvarial osteoblasts from C57BL/6J (B6J osteoblasts) mice were infected with and incubated on tissue culture polystyrene plates with or without nanocoatings of unmodified RG-Is isolated from potato pulps (PU) or dearabinanated RG-Is (PA). To investigate a behavior of infected osteoblasts cultured on RG-Is cell morphology, proliferation, metabolic activity, mineralization and osteogenic and pro-inflammatory gene expression were examined.

Results: Following infection, PA, but not PU, significantly promoted MC3T3-E1 and BJ6 osteoblasts proliferation, metabolic activity, and calcium deposition. Moreover, , , , and gene expressions were downregulated in cells cultured on PU and to a higher extent on PA as compared to the corresponding control, whereas , , , and gene expressions were upregulated vice versa.

Conclusion: Our data clearly showed that pectin RG-Is nanocoating with high content of galactan (PA) reduces the osteoblastic response to infection in vitro and may, therefore, reduce a risk of inflammation especially in immunocompromised patients with rheumatoid or periodontal disorders.