New Membranes May Offer Novel Solution for Periodontal Disease

A team of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers has developed a new class of membranes that not only promotes gingival tissue, but also stimulates bone regeneration. Published in ACS Nano, the study, “Hierarchically Patterned Polydopamine-Containing Membranes for Periodontal Tissue Engineering,” found the membrane’s biological and mechanical features can be adjusted based on treatment needs

To create a more reliable film that also provides prolonged drug delivery and growth factor to infected tissue, the team started with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved polymer. Investigators used electrospinning to bond the polymer with a polydopamine coating that has excellent adhesive properties and promotes remineralization of hydroxyapatite. Metal mesh templates were used to create various patterns to improve the membrane’s surface and structural characteristics. Additionally, the researchers determined how to turn degradation rates up or down by adding or subtracting different oxidative agents, or using lighter polymer bases prior to electrospinning. This allowed investigators to control the timing of drug delivery to desired areas.

Using a rat model, the team injected subjects with gingival-derived human stem cells and human periodontal ligament stem cells. After eight weeks, subjects with the patterned, poly-dopamine-coated polymer membrane had higher levels of bone gain than those with no membrane or a membrane with no coating, according to researchers.

“We’ve determined that our membranes were able to slow down periodontal infection, promote bone and tissue regeneration, and stay in place long enough to prolong the delivery of useful drugs,” says Alireza Moshaverinia, DDS, MS, PhD, FACP, an assistant professor of prosthodontics at UCLA School of Dentistry. The team plans to evaluate whether the membranes can deliver cells with growth factors in the presence or absence of stem cells.

Featured image: A multifunctional periodontal membrane is surgically inserted into the pocket between the affected gingiva and tooth. This new membrane has been shown to protect the site from further infection and help regrow bone. 

From Decisions in Dentistry. July/August 2019;5(7):8.