Antibiotics drug release controlling and osteoblast adhesion from Titania nanotubes arrays using silk fibroin coating.

Bacterial infection, wide inflammation, and osteoporosis are the most common factors in the failure of orthopedic implants. The present study aims to design an orthopedic implant based on Titania nanotubes (TiO-NTs) which not only have a high biocompatibility but also are characterized by anti-bacterial property. In order to improve the osseointegration of the TiO-NTs structures (110-120 nm in diameter, 40 μm in length), they were used to coat the Titania implant by electrochemical anodizing. Vancomycin, which is soluble in water, was loaded as a main clinical drug to control intensive infections caused by positive gram bacteria. For the first time, Silk Fibroin (SF) Nanofibers coating was used to control drug release by the implementation of electrospinning on the TiO-NTs surface. In order to investigate the anti-bacterial activities, S. aureus bacterium culture test was used. The cell culture of MG63 was conducted for both coated and non-coated samples of TiO-NTs. The results showed that the SF Nanofibers coating not only controls the drug being freely released from TiO-NTs but also effects adhesion and development of osteoblast cells. In this regard, this coating inhibits biofilm formation and development, as well as bacteria colonization due to anti-bacterial drug release. Therefore, this system can be considered as a promising alternative for orthopedic implants, preventing bone infection, osteomyelitis, bone cancer treatment, and other orthopedic diseases.