Bactericidal effects of nanopatterns: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance necessitates novel antibacterial strategies.
• Surface nanopatterns offer a physical method to combat bacterial infections.
• Understanding nanopattern design is crucial for efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review evidence on surface nanopattern design parameters and their bactericidal behavior.
• To identify optimal dimensions for nanopatterns to kill bacteria.
• To assess the cytocompatibility of bactericidal nanopatterns.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 46 studies.
• Inclusion criteria: bactericidal behavior of nanopatterns with known design parameters, absence of antibacterial agents.
• Assessment of cytocompatibility in 12 studies.

Main Results:

• Natural and synthetic nanopatterns show bactericidal behavior across various designs.
• Optimal ranges identified: heights 100-1000 nm, diameters 10-300 nm, interspacings <500 nm.
• Nanopillars most common; optimal ranges: heights 100-900 nm, diameters 20-207 nm, interspacings 9-380 nm.
• 11 of 12 cytocompatibility studies showed no adverse effects, except for high aspect ratio nanopatterns.

Conclusions:

• Surface nanopatterns are effective antibacterial agents without antibiotics.
• Key design parameters (height, diameter, interspacing) influence bactericidal efficiency.
• Nanopillars show promise within specific dimensional ranges.
• Bactericidal nanopatterns are generally cytocompatible, with exceptions for high aspect ratios.
• Further research should consider bacterial surface affinity, cell size, and EPS for enhanced killing mechanisms.