Interleukin (IL)-8 secreted from osteoblasts and peripheral blood monocytes increases in patients with aseptic hip-implant loss and in patients with mucositis after dental implant insertion. We explored in vitro the possibility of an IL-8-mediated inflammatory response as a consequence of contact between different dental implant surfaces and human blood. Titanium and zirconia implants were incubated in human blood. Nonstimulated blood served as negative, while blood stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) served as positive control. After depyrogenization, to examine the possible role of LPS, implants were again submerged in blood. Gene-expression of IL-8 and its receptor was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In a receptor mediated, but LPS-independent manner, titanium implants led to a more pronounced increase in IL-8 gene expression when compared with zirconia implants. Depyrogenization resulted after 24 h in zirconia implants in decreased IL-8 gene expression. Altered IL-8 expression could indicate aseptic, at least LPS-independent implant loss, which may be an additional feature in the manifestation of peri-implantitis, possibly triggered by microscopically small implant-particles. Hence, opening a new field of investigations to further understand the possible mechanism underlying the manifestation of implant failure.
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