Activated polyhydroxyalkanoate meshes prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm development in regenerative medicine applications

  • Regenerative medicine has become an extremely valuable tool offering an alternative to conventional therapies for the repair and regeneration of tissues. The re-establishment of tissue and organ functions can be carried out by tissue engineering strategies or by using medical devices such as implants. However, with any material being implanted inside the human body, one of the conundrums that remains is the ease with which these materials can get contaminated by bacteria. Bacterial adhesion leads to the formation of mature, alive and complex three-dimensional biofilm structures, further infection of surrounding tissues and consequent development of complicated chronic infections. Hence, novel tissue engineering strategies delivering biofilm-targeted therapies, while at the same time allowing tissue formation are highly relevant. In this study our aim was to develop surface modified polyhydroxyalkanoate-based fiber meshes with enhanced bacterial anti-adhesive and juvenile biofilm disrupting properties for tissue regeneration purposes. Using reactive and amphiphilic star-shaped macromolecules as an additive to a polyhydroxyalkanoate spinning solution, a synthetic antimicrobial peptide, Amhelin, with strong bactericidal and anti-biofilm properties, and Dispersin B, an enzyme promoting the disruption of exopolysaccharides found in the biofilm matrix, were covalently conjugated to the fibers by addition to the solution before the spinning process. \(\textit {Staphylococcus epidermidis}\) is one of the most problematic pathogens responsible for tissue-related infections. The initial antibacterial screening showed that Amhelin proved to be strongly bactericidal at 12 \(\mu\)g/ml and caused >50% reductions of biofilm formation at 6 \(\mu\)g/ml, while Dispersin B was found to disperse >70% of pre-formed biofilms at 3 \(\mu\)g/ml. Regarding the cytotoxicity of the agents toward L929 murine fibroblasts, a \(CC_{50}\) of 140 and 115 \(\mu\)g/ml was measured for Amhelin and Dispersin B, respectively. Optimization of the electrospinning process resulted in aligned fibers. Surface activated fibers with Amhelin and Dispersin B resulted in 83% reduction of adhered bacteria on the surface of the fibers. Additionally, the materials developed were found to be cytocompatible toward L929 murine fibroblasts. The strategy reported in this preliminary study suggests an alternative approach to prevent bacterial adhesion and, in turn biofilm formation, in materials used in regenerative medicine applications such as tissue engineering.

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Author:Sheila PiaraliGND, Jan Lennart MarlinghausGND, Richard ViebahnORCiDGND, Helen LewisGND, Maxim G. RyadnovGND, Jürgen GrollGND, Jochen SalberGND, Ipsita RoyGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-73955
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2020.00442
Parent Title (English):Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Publisher:Frontiers Media
Place of publication:Lausanne
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2020/08/07
Date of first Publication:2020/05/15
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Amhelin; Dispersin B; biofilm; electrospinning; polyhydroxyalkanoates
Volume:8
Issue:Article 442
First Page:442-1
Last Page:442-14
Institutes/Facilities:Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil, Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik
Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum, Chirurgische Klinik
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International