Cell resistant zwitterionic polyelectrolyte coating promotes bacterial attachment: an adhesion contradiction.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Zwitterionic polymers effectively prevent nonspecific surface fouling by various biological entities.
• Layer-by-layer assembly is a versatile technique for creating thin polymer coatings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fouling resistance of zwitterionic copolymer-based polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMUs).
• To compare the adhesion of mammalian cells and bacteria on PEMUs with varying zwitterionic group presentation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PEMUs using poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and acrylic acid copolymers with zwitterionic (AEDAPS) or photocrosslinkable (benzophenone) groups.
• Surface characterization and cell adhesion studies using mammalian cell lines (A7r5, 3T3) and Escherichia coli.

Main Results:

• PAH/PAA-co-AEDAPS PEMUs demonstrated resistance to mammalian cell adhesion, consistent with previous findings.
• Contrary to hypothesis, these PEMUs showed significant bacterial adhesion, particularly when the zwitterionic group presentation was maximized.
• An unexpected contrast in adhesion behavior between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells was observed.

Conclusions:

• Zwitterionic PEMUs exhibit differential fouling behavior towards mammalian cells and bacteria.
• Adhesion differences are attributed to distinct cellular adhesion mechanisms and responses to surface topography.
• The findings provide insights into designing antifouling surfaces with tailored cell interactions.