In Vitro Salivary Protein Adsorption Profile on Titanium and Ceramic Surfaces and the Corresponding Putative Immunological Implications

Abstract

Immune responses triggered by implant abutment surfaces contributed by surface-adsorbed proteins are critical in clinical implant integration. How material surface-adsorbed proteins relate to host immune responses remain unclear. This study aimed to profile and address the immunological roles of surface-adsorbed salivary proteins on conventional implant abutment materials. Standardized polished bocks (5 × 5 × 1 mm3) were prepared from titanium and feldspathic ceramic. Salivary acquired pellicle formed in vitro was examined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gene ontology (GO) analysis to identify and characterize the adsorbed proteins. Out of 759 proteins identified from pooled saliva samples, 396 were found to be attached to the two materials tested—369 on titanium and 298 on ceramic, with 281 common to both. GO annotation of immune processes was undertaken to form a protein–protein interaction network, and 14 hub proteins (≥6 interaction partners) (coding genes: B2M, C3, CLU, DEFA1, HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, LTF, PIGR, PSMA2, RAC1, RAP1A, S100A8, S100A9, and SLP1) were identified as the key proteins connecting multiple (6–9) immune processes. The results offered putative immunological prospects of implant abutment material surface-adsorbed salivary proteins, which could potentially underpin the dynamic nature of implant–mucosal/implant–microbial interactions.