Inhibition of Collagen Decomposition by New Zinc-glass-containing Bioactive Material

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate collagen decomposition inhibitory effect on root surface by applying new zinc-glass-containing bioactive material.
Methods: Fuji VII (GC), Fuji IX GP EXTRA (GC) and a prototype of zinc-glass-containing bioactive material, ZIF-C2, were used in this study.
Specimens of bovine root dentin were embedded in acryric resin, and polished with #2000-grit silicon carbide paper. Testing area of the specimen (3mm-diameter, 0.1mm-thickness) was defined by plastic-tape, and the specimens were immersed in 10mL of deminerarizing solution (50mM acetic acid, 1.5mM CaCl2, 0.9mM KH2PO4, ph4.5) at 37 degrees C for 60 hours. Fuji VII, Fuji IX GP EXTRA and ZIF-C2 were filled in the half of testing area, and no material was filled for control group. After that, the specimens were stored in 95% humidity at 37 degrees C for 1 hour, then immersed in 1.5mL of collagenase solution (0.4U/mL collagenase, 40mM PIPES, 150mM NaCl, 5mM CaCl2, pH6.5) at 37 degrees C for 6 hours. Each specimens were sliced at testing area with thickness of around 0.5mm, and the sliced surface was polished with #1200-grit silicon carbide paper. Then collagen decomposition depth at non-filled area of each specimen was analyzed by phase contrast microscope [one-way ANOVA (p<0.01), n=5].
Results: Specimens filled with ZIF-C2 showed statisutically lower value of collagen decomposition depth compared to that of other materials.
Conclusions: In this study, ZIF-C2 showed an effect on inhibiting collagen decomposition compared to Fuji VII and Fuji IX GP EXTRA. It was suggested that application of ZIF-C2 on root surface could be beneficial for root-caries prevention and treatment.