Synergistic Bactericidal Effect of Zn<sup>2+</sup> Ions and Reactive Oxygen Species Generated in Response to Either UV or X-ray Irradiation of Zn-Doped Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation TiO<sub>2</sub> Coatingsстатья
Статья опубликована в журнале из списка Web of Science и/или Scopus
Аннотация:Zn-containing TiO2-based coatings with Na, Ca, Si, and K additives were obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of Ti in order to achieve an effective and broad bactericidal protection without compromising biocompatibility.A protocol has been developed for cleaning the coating surface from electrolyte residues, ensuring the preservation of the microstructure and composition of the surface layer. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, threecharacteristic microstructural zones in the PEO-Zn coating are well documented: zone 1 with a TiO2-based nanocrystalline structure, zone 2 with an amorphous structure, and zone 3 around pores with an amorphous-nanocrystalline structure. The excellent cytocompatibility of PEO-Zn samples was confirmed by three different methods: monitoring the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, assessing theviability of sheep osteoblast cells using calcein-AM staining and fluorescence microscopy, and incubation with spheroids based on primary osteoblast cells andmouse embryonic fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. The PEO-Zn coatings absorb >60% of the incident light over the UV and Vis-NIR spectral ranges. After 24 h, the PEO-Zn coatings completely inactivate four types of strains: Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus CSA154 and ATCC29213 and Gram-negative Escherichia coli K261 and U20, and also prevent E. coli U20 and K261 biofilm formation. The superior antibacterial activity is associated with the synergistic effect of Zn2+ ions in safe concentration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in response to either UV irradiation or soft short-term X-ray irradiation. The X-ray irradiation induced ROS formation by a PEO coating is reported for the first time. The enhanced bactericidal activity after X-ray irradiationcompared to UV illumination is attributed to the more intense ROS generation in the first few hours. The results obtained significantly expand the possibilities of using PEO coatings on the surfaces of titanium implants.