Nanoscale modifications of PET polymer surfaces via oxygen-plasma discharge yield minimal changes in attachment and growth of mammalian epithelial and mesenchymal cells in vitro.

Surface topography is believed to be a factor affecting cellular morphology, proliferation, and differentiation. The effect of surface roughness in the micron to supramicron range has been investigated previously. In the current study, the influence of nanoscale surface roughness was examined in terms of its effects on morphology, cytoskeleton expression, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of three model cell types. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) disks were etched using oxygen plasma to produce uniform and decidedly nanoscale levels of surface roughness. Three distinct types of cell lines-mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, human JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells, and human MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells-were cultured on the plasma-treated disks. Untreated PET disks were used as a control. Cytoskeletal proteins (F-actin and cytokeratin) exhibited similar patterns of expression. Cell morphology also was similar on both surfaces. Cell growth kinetics for the three types of cells and hormone secretion from the JEG-3 cells were not significantly different from that of the controls (p > 0.05). However, the differentiation of preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells into lipid-laden fat cells was modestly affected by nanoscale surface topography. In addition, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15dPGJ(2))-induced apoptosis of the JEG-3 and MCF-7 cells revealed differences between the two surfaces. Plasma-treated surfaces showed more differentiated and apoptotic cells, respectively, compared to the controls. These results indicate that nanoscale roughness contributes in only moderate ways to cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation in the cell lines tested. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.