Author(s)

Takashi Oda, Hodaka Sasaki, Taichi Ito, Hideshi Sekine, Tetsuo Kato, Masao Yoshinari, Yasutomo Yajima

Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Implantology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan Division of Oral Implants Research and HRC7, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Division of Oral Implants Research and HRC7, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Division of Oral Implants Research and HRC7, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Implantology, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Oral Implants Research and HRC7, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan Laboratory of Chemistry, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.

Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a titanium implant on immune response in mouse by monitoring change in plasma cytokine profiles. Materials and Methods: C57BL/6 (type 1 T helper cell-predominant) and BALB/c (type 2 T helper cell-predominant) mice were used. Each type was divided into an experimental and a control group: in the former, pure titanium implants (Φ 1 mm × 1 mm) were inserted into the back of the mice subcutaneously; in the latter, the wound was sutured closed with no insertion of an implant. Blood samples were collected before implantation and at 3 hr, 24 hr, 3 d, 1 mo, and 3 mo after implantation. Levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-23, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 were measured by multi-analyte enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Baseline cytokine levels were generally higher in the BALB/c mice than in their C57BL/6 counterparts. Cytokine levels showed only slight variation after implantation of titanium in ei-ther strain. No statistically significant differences in cytokine levels were detected, except for those of IL-6 and IL-10. Conclusion: The results showed that titanium implantation induced no clear Th1-, Th2-, or Th17-mediated immune response in either Th1-or Th2-predominant mice.

Cytokines; Titanium; Immune Response; Dental Implant

Oda, T. , Sasaki, H. , Ito, T. , Sekine, H. , Kato, T. , Yoshinari, M. and Yajima, Y. (2013) Plasma cytokine profiles following subcutaneous implantation of titanium in mice. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 6, 928-933. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2013.69113.