Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025
Oral Biofilm Formation on Different Materials for Dental Implants
Published on: June 24, 2018
Microbiological Assessment of Titanium Plates Coated with PLGA, Chitosan, and/or Meropenem: An In Vitro Study
Mohammad Al-Qubaisey1, Rita Khounganian2, Abdulhakim Al-Badah3
1Department of Dentistry, Riyadh 2nd Health Cluster, P.O. Box 60169, Riyadh 11545, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
This investigation was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of coated titanium plates against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) using various methods. The Colony-forming unit "CFU" was higher in chitosan (CH) in relation to PA than in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) in relation to SA, followed by meropenem-chitosan "MC" coated plates in relation to PA and SA. A significant difference in the zone of inhibition (ZOI) of SA was determined in MP, MC, and meropenem (MEM). PA was significantly inhibited by MP, MEM, then MC, and the largest ZOI among SA and PA groups were MP coating. Using an MTT assay, MP had the lowest bacterial viability in the SA group, followed by MC and MEM, with no statistically significant difference between the PLGA or CH alone nor the polymers augmented with MEM. Using confocal microscopy, MP-coated plates were seen to have the highest bacterial inhibition, followed by MC, MEM, PLGA, and CH. In the PA group, MP had the highest bacterial inhibition, followed by MEM, MC, CH, and PLGA. The uncoated group presented the lowest inhibition in relation to both SA and PA. Conclusively, coating titanium plates with PLGA or CH with MEM appeared to enhance the antibacterial efficacy as opposed to MEM without polymers through bacterial adhesion inhibition, hindering biofilm formation and preventing bacterial proliferation.
Insights
Coating titanium plates with meropenem-polymer combinations significantly enhanced antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by inhibiting bacterial adhesion and proliferation.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Diseases
- Materials Engineering
Background:
- Titanium implants are susceptible to bacterial colonization, leading to infections.
- Antimicrobial coatings are crucial for preventing implant-associated infections caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA).
- Polymer coatings like poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and chitosan (CH) offer potential for drug delivery and enhanced biocompatibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of titanium plates coated with meropenem (MEM) combined with PLGA or CH.
- To compare the performance of these coated plates against Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA).
- To assess the impact of polymer coatings on bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and proliferation.
Main Methods:
- Coating of titanium plates with PLGA, CH, and MEM.
- Assessment of bacterial growth using Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts.
- Determination of antibacterial activity via zone of inhibition (ZOI) assays.
- Evaluation of bacterial viability using MTT assays.
- Microscopic analysis of bacterial inhibition using confocal microscopy.
Main Results:
- Meropenem-PLGA (MP) coated plates exhibited the largest zone of inhibition against both SA and PA.
- MP and meropenem-chitosan (MC) coatings demonstrated the lowest bacterial viability and highest bacterial inhibition.
- Coating titanium plates with MEM and polymers (PLGA or CH) significantly enhanced antibacterial efficacy compared to MEM alone or uncoated plates.
Conclusions:
- Coating titanium plates with meropenem combined with PLGA or CH significantly improves antibacterial properties.
- These enhanced coatings effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and proliferation of SA and PA.
- Meropenem-polymer coated titanium plates represent a promising strategy for preventing implant-associated infections.
