A simple surface biofunctionalization strategy to inhibit the biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus on solid...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of opportunistic infections, often linked to medical device biofilms.
• Preventing bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on surfaces is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple surface biofunctionalization strategy to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation.
• To investigate the efficacy of surface-perturbed albumin and fibrinogen in preventing bacterial adhesion and biofilm development.

Main Methods:

• Surface biofunctionalization of solid substrates with thermally treated albumin or fibrinogen.
• Studying protein adsorption kinetics and surface molecule perturbation.
• Quantifying adhered viable bacteria and assessing biofilm formation over time.

Main Results:

• Surface biofunctionalization with perturbed fibrinogen reduced adhered bacteria by approximately 60% and completely prevented biofilm formation.
• The strategy using thermally treated albumin or fibrinogen achieved a ~90% reduction in adhered bacteria and fully inhibited biofilm formation.
• Inhibition of bacterial adhesion on surfaces with perturbed proteins is effective even with specific interactions present.

Conclusions:

• Surface biofunctionalization with perturbed plasma proteins offers a simple and effective strategy to prevent Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation.
• This approach represents a significant advancement in preventing medical device-associated infections.
• The findings suggest a generalizable method for inhibiting bacterial adhesion on biomaterials.