Significant and rapid reduction of free endotoxin using a dialkylcarbamoyl chloride-coated wound dressing

Endotoxin causes inflammation and can impair wound healing. Conventional methods that reduce bioburden in wounds by killing microorganisms using antibiotics, topical antimicrobials or antimicrobial dressings may induce endotoxin release from Gram-negative bacteria. Another approach is to reduce bioburden by adsorbing microorganisms, without killing them, using dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated wound dressings. This study evaluated the endotoxin-binding ability of a DACC-coated wound dressing (Sorbact Compress, Abigo Medical AB, Sweden) in vitro, including its effect on the level of natural endotoxin released from Gram-negative bacteria.

Different concentrations of purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa endotoxin and a DACC-coated dressing were incubated at 37°C for various durations. After incubation, the dressing was removed and endotoxin concentration in the solution was quantified using a Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The DACC-coated dressing was also incubated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells for one hour at 37°C. After incubation, the dressing and bacterial cells were removed and shed endotoxin remaining in the solution was quantified.

Overnight incubation of the DACC-coated wound dressing with various concentrations of purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa endotoxin (96-11000 EU/ml) consistently and significantly reduced levels of free endotoxin by 93-99% (p<0.0001). A significant endotoxin reduction of 39% (p<0.001) was observed after five minutes. The DACC-coated dressing incubated with clinically relevant Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells also reduced shed endotoxin by >99.95% (p<0.0001).

In this study, we showed that a DACC-coated wound dressing efficiently and rapidly binds both purified and shed endotoxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro. This ability to remove both endotoxin and bacterial cells could promote the wound healing process.