Interaction of some serum proteins with hydroxylapatite and other materials.

In order to investigate whether the immune system is involved in the degradation of hydroxylapatite as implant material the adsorption behavior of several serum proteins to hydroxylapatite was studied and compared with the adsorption to other calcium phosphate compounds (Ca3(PO4)2, CaHPO4), calcium carbonate, aluminium oxide, and zinc oxide. It was found that complement factors, C4 and C3, and alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein adsorbed to the calcium phosphate compounds, but not to the other materials. IgG and albumin were adsorbed to all investigated compounds. These results suggest that the complement factors are directly adsorbed on the surface of the calcium phosphate compounds. Therefore, the activation of complement, if any, proceeds by the classical pathway. The binding of complement factors to the calcium phosphate salts investigated points to a more specific involvement of the immunosystem in the degradation process of calcium phosphate implants.