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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomaterials
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1593545
Dual-Functional Titanium Implants via Polydopamine-Mediated Lithium and Copper Co-Incorporation: Synergistic Enhancement of Osseointegration and Antibacterial Efficacy
Provisionally accepted
Jun Li*
Bo JiangLiu YangPu ZhangJingwen WuYalan YangYan YangGuiling WangJie ChenLing ZhangShiqin HuangLingli Zhang*
En Zhang*- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing, China
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The integration of dual-functional capabilities—enhanced osseointegration and robust antibacterial activity—into titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V, Ti64) implants is pivotal to addressing orthopedic challenges such as implant loosening and infection. Herein, we propose a polydopamine (PDA)-mediated co-incorporation strategy for lithium (Li) and copper (Cu) to synergistically optimize bone regeneration and microbial resistance. In vitro studies reveal that Li-functionalized surfaces (PDA@Li 800) significantly enhance MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, as evidenced by elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and upregulated expression of osteogenic markers (ALP, Axin2), the latter implicating activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conversely, Cu-loaded coatings (PDA@Cu 10) exhibit potent antibacterial efficacy, achieving >99% reduction in S. aureus and E. coli viability within 24 h, albeit with a modest suppression of osteogenic differentiation. Remarkably, the dual-doped surface (PDA@Li 800-Cu 10) reconciles these effects, combining robust osteogenesis with sustained antimicrobial performance. In vivo implantation into rat femoral model demonstrates the translational promise of this approach: within 3 days, dual-modified implants eradicated bacterial colonization, while 4-week evaluations via micro-CT and histology revealed a significant increase in peri-implant bone volume fraction (BV/TV) compared to polished Ti64 controls, outperforming PDA-coated counterparts. By harmonizing Li-driven osteoinduction and Cu-mediated bactericidal action through a scalable PDA platform, this work advances a transformative strategy for next-generation orthopedic and dental implants, simultaneously addressing infection risks and bone regeneration demands.
Keywords: Ti6Al4V, Surface modification, Metal ions, Antibacterial, Osseointegration
Received: 14 Mar 2025; Accepted: 17 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Jiang, Yang, Zhang, Wu, Yang, Yang, Wang, Chen, Zhang, Huang, Zhang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jun Li, NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing, China
Lingli Zhang, NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing, China
En Zhang, NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Chongqing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chongqing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.