Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Using Robust Silk Fibroin-Poly(ethyleneimine) Microparticles

Controlling bacterial growth and biofilm formation remains a major challenge in the treatment of chronic wounds and in preventing infection after biomedical device implantation. Thus, creating materials with inherent antibacterial potential is necessary. Here, we report silk fibroin-polyethylenimine-based (SF-PEI) microparticles to control the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a highly infectious and biofilm-forming pathogen. SF-PEI microparticles were fabricated using a solvent displacement method, and their microparticle formation was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology and size of the microparticles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The SEM and DLS methods revealed that the microparticles formed showed a uniform, spherical morphology with a consistent size distribution, showing a Z-average of 834.82 nm. The antibacterial and biofilm inhibition properties of the SF-PEI microparticles were tested against P. aeruginosa. The results show significant control of bacterial growth and biofilm formation when treated with the SF-PEI particles. Further, a cell viability assay was evaluated using human dermal fibroblasts, and the results demonstrated that the SF-PEI microparticles developed demonstrated cytocompatibility, with no significant cytotoxic effects observed. These results suggest that SF-PEI microparticles offer a promising biocompatible strategy for reducing bacterial growth and their biofilm-associated infections, particularly in wound healing and medical device applications.