title: Bacterial adhesion and growth on a polymer brush-coating.
abstract: Biomaterials-related infections pose serious problems in implant surgery, despite the development of non-adhesive coatings. Non-adhesive coatings, like polymer brush-coatings, have so far only been investigated with respect to preventing initial bacterial adhesion, but never with respect to effects on kinetics of bacterial growth. Here, we compare adhesion and 20 h growth of three bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) on pristine and brush-coated silicone rubber in a parallel plate flow chamber. Brush-coatings were made using a tri-block copolymer of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polypropylene oxide (PPO). Brush-coatings prevented adhesion of staphylococci to below 5 x 10(5)cm(-2) after 30 min, which is a 10-fold reduction compared to pristine silicone rubber. Biofilms grew on both brush-coated and pristine silicone rubber, while the viability of biofilms on brush-coatings was higher than on pristine silicone rubber. However, biofilms on brush-coatings developed more slowly and detached almost fully by high fluid shear. Brush-coating remained non-adhesive after S. epidermidis biofilm formation and subsequent removal whereas a part of its functionality was lost after removal of S. aureus biofilms. Adhesion, growth and detachment of P. aeruginosa were not significantly different on brush-coatings as compared with pristine silicone rubber, although here too the viability of biofilms on brush-coatings was higher. We conclude that polymer brush-coatings strongly reduce initial adhesion of staphylococci and delay their biofilm growth. In addition, biofilms on brush-coatings are more viable and easily removed by the application of fluid shear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nejadnik
authors.forename: Henny C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: van der Mei
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Norde
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Busscher
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D008422:Materials Testing; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C116176:PEO-PPO-PEO; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols