title: Synthesis and characterization of crosslinked polyisothiouronium methylstyrene nanoparticles of narrow size distribution for antibacterial and antibiofilm applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Isothiouronium salts are well known in their variety of antimicrobials activities. The use of polymeric biocides, polymers with antimicrobial activities, is expected to enhance the efficacy of some existing antimicrobial agents, thus minimizing the environmental problems accompanying conventional antimicrobials.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current manuscript describes the synthesis and characterization of crosslinked polyisothiouronium methylstyrene (PITMS) nanoparticles (NPs) of narrow size distribution by dispersion co-polymerization of the monomer isothiouronium methylstyrene with the crosslinking monomer ethylene glycol dimetacrylate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of total monomer, crosslinker and initiator concentrations on the size and size distribution of the formed NPs was also elucidated. The bactericidal activity of PITMS NPs of 67 ± 8 nm diameter was illustrated for 4 bacterial pathogens: Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. In order to demonstrate the potential of these PITMS NPs as inhibitor of biofilm formation, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films were thin-coated with the PITMS NPs. The formed PET/PITMS films reduced the viability of the biofilm of Listeria by 2 orders of magnitude, making the coatings excellent candidates for further development of non-fouling surfaces. In addition, PITMS NP coatings were found to be non-toxic in HaCaT cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high antibacterial activity and effective inhibition of bacterial adsorption indicate the potential of these nanoparticles for development of new types of antibacterial and antibiofilm additives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gelber
authors.affiliation: The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, The Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natan
authors.affiliation: The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, The Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Banin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Enav
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corem-Salkmon
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel. shlomo.margel@mail.biu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Margel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007550:Isothiuronium / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008087:Listeria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry; D058105:Polymerization; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013343:Styrenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D008689:Methacrylates; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D013343:Styrenes; D007550:Isothiuronium; C027142:vinyltoluene; C004919:ethylene dimethacrylate
keywords: Antibacterial; Biofilm; Dispersion polymerization; Isothioronium methylstyrene; Nanoparticles