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The influence of substratum topography on bacterial adhesion to polymethyl methacrylate

R L Taylor1, J Verran, G C Lees

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Materials Technology Manchester M1 5GD UK.

Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine
|September 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Substratum roughness significantly impacts bacterial adhesion. Initial increases in roughness enhance attachment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis, while further increases reduce it, but remain higher than smooth surfaces.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Microbiology
  • Surface Science

Background:

  • Bacterial adhesion to surfaces is a critical factor in biomaterial colonization and infection.
  • Understanding the influence of surface properties, such as roughness, is essential for developing strategies to control bacterial attachment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of substratum roughness on the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • To determine if protein coating alters the influence of surface topography on bacterial adhesion.

Main Methods:

  • Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) surfaces with varying roughness (Ra values from 0.04 to 7.89 microm) were prepared.
  • Bacterial attachment assays were performed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • PMMA surfaces were coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to assess protein adsorption and subsequent bacterial adhesion.

Main Results:

  • A small increase in roughness (0.04-1.24 microm) significantly increased bacterial attachment (P<0.05).
  • Further increases in roughness (1.86-7.89 microm) led to decreased adhesion, yet it remained higher than on smooth surfaces.
  • Protein coating (BSA) did not alter protein adsorption levels across different topographies, but the underlying surface roughness still influenced bacterial adhesion.

Conclusions:

  • Substratum topography is a significant parameter influencing bacterial adhesion to PMMA.
  • Surface roughness plays a crucial role in the initial stages of bacterial colonization, even in the presence of adsorbed proteins.

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