Universal Coating from Electrostatic Self-Assembly to Prevent Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Colonization on Medical...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Bacterial infections pose a significant threat, especially multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains.
• Developing effective, non-toxic antibacterial surfaces is crucial for healthcare and preventing secondary infections.
• Current antibacterial strategies may lead to environmental contamination and antibiotic resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile and scalable method for creating stable antibacterial coatings on diverse surfaces.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gold nanoparticle-based coatings against pathogenic bacteria.
• To investigate the mechanism of bacterial eradication and potential for environmental contamination.

Main Methods:

• Electrostatic self-assembly was used to create gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated with 4,6-diamino-2-pyrimidinethiol (DAPT) on various substrates (PS, PVC, PP, PE, PDMS, SiO2).
• The antibacterial efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria and MDR mutants was assessed.
• Cytotoxicity, hemolysis, coagulation, and inflammation assays were performed to evaluate biocompatibility.
• The role of immobilized vs. released antimicrobial components was investigated.

Main Results:

• A stable AuDAPT coating was successfully prepared on multiple substrates in a single step.
• The coating demonstrated high efficiency in eradicating pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria and MDR mutants.
• No significant cytotoxicity, hemolysis, coagulation, or inflammation was observed.
• Immobilized AuDAPT was identified as the active antibacterial agent, with no release into the environment.

Conclusions:

• The developed AuNP-based coating offers a promising, stable, and broad-surface-applicable antibacterial solution.
• The coating effectively kills bacteria without causing adverse side effects or environmental contamination.
• This technology holds potential for preventing infections associated with medical devices and reducing antibiotic resistance.