title: Visual evaluation of binding to mucosal cells of a medical device against the common cold.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of visualizing the ability of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and a nasal spray (First Defense), in which the bioadhesive is HPMC, to bind to human mucosal cells using inorganic (black carbon particles and Congo red dye) and organic markers (Escherichia coli). A significant reduction in the bacterial adhesiveness has been observed. Our findings indicate the possibility of counteracting the lock-and-key mechanism of microorganism adhesion using the bioadhesive properties of polymers, such as HPMC, in First Defense to prevent a possible contact between adhesins and complementary receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Center of Respiratory Pharmacology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. piercarlo.braga@unimi.it
authors.forename: Pier Carlo
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dal Sasso
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Culici
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002610:Cheek; D003139:Common Cold / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose