Atherosclerotic-derived endothelial cell response conducted by titanium oxide nanotubes

Atherosclerosis lesions are described by the formation of an occlusive wall-vessel plaque that can exacerbate infarctions, strokes, and even death. Furthermore, atherosclerosis damages the endothelium integrity, avoiding proper regeneration after stent implantation. Therefore, we investigate the beneficial effects of TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) in promoting the initial response of detrimental human atherosclerotic-derived endothelial cells (AThEC). We synthesized and characterized NTs on Ti6Al4V by anodization. We isolated AThEC and tested the adhesion and long-lasting proliferation activity promoted by the surfaces. Furthermore, the cytoskeleton arrangement and the modulation of focal adhesions were studied on the materials. Moreover, ultrastructural cell-surface contact at the nanoscale and membrane roughness were evaluated to explain the results. Our findings depicted improved filopodia and focal adhesions stimulated by the NTs. Similarly, the NTs harbored long-lasting proliferative metabolism after 5 days, explained by the overcoming cell-contact interactions at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the senescent activity detected in the AThEC could be mitigated by the modified membrane roughness and cellular stretch orchestrated by the NTs. Despite the dysfunctional status of the AThEC, our study brings new evidence for the potential application of nano-configured biomaterials for innovation in stent technologies.