Keratinocyte-Specific Peptide-Based Surfaces for Hemidesmosome Upregulation and Prevention of Bacterial Colonization

Percutaneous devices like orthopedic prosthetic implants for amputees, catheters, and dental implants suffer from high infection rates. A critical aspect mediating peri-implant infection of dental implants is the lack of a structural barrier between the soft tissue and the implant surface which could impede bacteria access and colonization of exposed implant surfaces. Parafunctional soft tissue regeneration around dental implants is marked by a lack of hemidesmosome formation and thereby weakened mechanical attachment. In response to this healthcare burden, a simultaneously hemidesmosome-inducing, antimicrobial, multifunctional implant surface was engineered. A designer antimicrobial peptide, GL13K, and a laminin-derived peptide, LamLG3, were coimmobilized with two different surface fractional areas. The coimmobilized peptide surfaces showed antibiofilm activity against Streptococcus gordonii while enhancing proliferation, hemidesmosome formation, and mechanical attachment of orally derived keratinocytes. Notably, the coatings demonstrated specific activation of keratinocytes: the coatings showed no effects on gingival fibroblasts which are known to impede the quality of soft tissue attachment to dental implants. These coatings demonstrated stability and retained activity against mechanical and thermochemical challenges, suggesting their intraoral durability. Overall, these multifunctional surfaces may be able to reduce peri-implantitis rates and enhance the success rates of all percutaneous devices via strong antimicrobial activity and enhanced soft tissue attachment to implants.