Impedimetric antimicrobial peptide-based sensor for the early detection of periodontopathogenic bacteria

Peri-implantitis, an inflammation caused by biofilm formation, constitutes a major cause of implant failure in dentistry. Thus, the detection of bacteria at the early steps of biofilm growth represents a powerful strategy to prevent implant-related infections. In this regard, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be used as effective biological recognition elements to selectively detect the presence of bacteria. Thus, the aim of the present study was to combine the use of miniaturized and integrated impedimetric transducers and AMPs to obtain biosensors with high sensitivity to monitor bacterial colonization. Streptococcus sanguinis, which is one of the most prevalent strains in the onset of periodontal diseases, was used as a model of oral bacteria. To this end, a potent AMP derived from human lactoferrin was synthesized and covalently immobilized on interdigitated electrode arrays (IDEA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to optimize and characterize the method of immobilization. Noteworthy, the interaction of Streptococcus sanguinis with AMP-coated sensors provoked significant changes in the impedance spectra, which were univocally associated with the presence of bacteria, proving the feasibility of our method. In this regard, the developed biosensor permits to detect the presence of bacteria at concentrations starting from 10(1) colony forming units (CFU)mL(-1) in KCl and from 10(2) CFUmL(-1) in artificial saliva. Moreover, the system was devoid of cytotoxicity for human fibroblasts. These results indicate that the proposed approach can be effective in the detection of initial stages of biofilm formation, and may be useful in the early prevention and treatment of peri-implantitis.