Mussel-inspired silver-releasing antibacterial hydrogels

Surface-independent antibacterial coating using silver nanoparticle-generating engineered mussel glue

During implant surgeries, antibacterial agents are needed to prevent bacterial infections, which can cause the formation of biofilms between implanted materials and tissue. Mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) derived from marine mussels are bioadhesives that show strong adhesion and coating ability on various surfaces even in wet environment. Here, we proposed a novel surface-independent antibacterial coating strategy based on the fusion of MAP to a silver-binding peptide, which can synthesize silver nanoparticles having broad antibacterial activity. This sticky recombinant fusion protein enabled the efficient coating on target surface and the easy generation of silver nanoparticles on the coated-surface under mild condition. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles showed excellent antibacterial efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and also revealed good cytocompatibility with mammalian cells. In this coating strategy, MAP-silver binding peptide fusion proteins provide hybrid environment incorporating inorganic silver nanoparticle and simultaneously mediate the interaction of silver nanoparticle with surroundings. Moreover, the silver nanoparticles were fully synthesized on various surfaces including metal, plastic, and glass by a simple, surface-independent coating manner, and they were also successfully synthesized on a nanofiber surface fabricated by electrospinning of the fusion protein. Thus, this facile surface-independent silver nanoparticle-generating antibacterial coating has great potential to be used for the prevention of bacterial infection in diverse biomedical fields.

Surgical Materials: Current Challenges and Nano-enabled Solutions

Surgical adhesive biomaterials have emerged as substitutes to sutures and staples in many clinical applications. Nano-enabled materials containing nanoparticles or having a distinct nanotopography have been utilized for generation of a new class of surgical materials with enhanced functionality. In this review, the state of the art in the development of conventional surgical adhesive biomaterials is critically reviewed and their shortcomings are outlined. Recent advancements in generation of nano-enabled surgical materials with their potential future applications are discussed. This review will open new avenues for the innovative development of the next generation of tissue adhesives, hemostats, and sealants with enhanced functionality for various surgical applications.

The Use of the Calcitonin Minimal Recognition Module for the Design of DOPA-Containing Fibrillar Assemblies

Amyloid deposits are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates, identified in numerous diseases, which self-assemble through molecular recognition. This process is facilitated by short amino acid sequences, identified as minimal modules. Peptides corresponding to these motifs can be used for the formation of amyloid-like fibrillar assemblies in vitro. Such assemblies hold broad appeal in nanobiotechnology due to their ordered structure and to their ability to be functionalized. The catechol functional group, present in the non-coded L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) amino acid, can take part in diverse chemical interactions. Moreover, DOPA-incorporated polymers have demonstrated adhesive properties and redox activity. In this work, amyloid-like fibrillar assemblies were formed through the self-assembly of a pentapeptide containing DOPA residues, Asp-DOPA-Asn-Lys-DOPA. The design of this peptide was based on the minimal amyloidogenic recognition motif of the human calcitonin hormone, Asp-Phe-Asn-Lys-Phe, the first amyloidogenic pentapeptide identified. By substituting phenylalanine with DOPA, we obtained DOPA-functionalized amyloid-like assemblies in water. Electron microscopy revealed elongated, linear fibril-like nanometric assemblies. Secondary structure analysis indicated the presence of amyloid-characteristic β-sheet structures as well as random coil structures. Deposition of silver on the DOPA-incorporated assemblies suggested redox activity and demonstrated the applicative potential of this novel nanobiomaterial.

Seamless metallic coating and surface adhesion of self-assembled bioinspired nanostructures based on di-(3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine) peptide motif

The noncoded aromatic 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) amino acid has a pivotal role in the remarkable adhesive properties displayed by marine mussels. These properties have inspired the design of adhesive chemical entities through various synthetic approaches. DOPA-containing bioinspired polymers have a broad functional appeal beyond adhesion due to the diverse chemical interactions presented by the catechol moieties. Here, we harnessed the molecular self-assembly abilities of very short peptide motifs to develop analogous DOPA-containing supramolecular polymers. The DOPA-containing DOPA-DOPA and Fmoc-DOPA-DOPA building blocks were designed by substituting the phenylalanines in the well-studied diphenylalanine self-assembling motif and its 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected derivative. These peptides self-organized into fibrillar nanoassemblies, displaying high density of catechol functional groups. Furthermore, the Fmoc-DOPA-DOPA peptide was found to act as a low molecular weight hydrogelator, forming self-supporting hydrogel which was rheologically characterized. We studied these assemblies using electron microscopy and explored their applicative potential by examining their ability to spontaneously reduce metal cations into elementary metal. By applying ionic silver to the hydrogel, we observed efficient reduction into silver nanoparticles and the remarkable seamless metallic coating of the assemblies. Similar redox abilities were observed with the DOPA-DOPA assemblies. In an effort to impart adhesiveness to the obtained assemblies, we incorporated lysine (Lys) into the Fmoc-DOPA-DOPA building block. The assemblies of Fmoc-DOPA-DOPA-Lys were capable of gluing together glass surfaces, and their adhesion properties were investigated using atomic force microscopy. Taken together, a class of DOPA-containing self-assembling peptides was designed. These nanoassemblies display unique properties and can serve as multifunctional platforms for various biotechnological applications.

Substrates coated with silver nanoparticles as a neuronal regenerative material

Much effort has been devoted to the design of effective biomaterials for nerve regeneration. Here, we report the novel use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as regenerative agents to promote neuronal growth. We grew neuroblastoma cells on surfaces coated with AgNPs and studied the effect on the development of the neurites during the initiation and the elongation growth phases. We find that the AgNPs function as favorable anchoring sites, and the growth on the AgNP-coated substrates leads to a significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Cells grown on substrates coated with AgNPs have initiated three times more neurites than cells grown on uncoated substrates, and two times more than cells grown on substrates sputtered with a plain homogenous layer of silver. The growth of neurites on AgNPs in the elongation phase was enhanced as well. A comparison with substrates coated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) demonstrated a clear silver material-driven promoting effect, in addition to the nanotopography. The growth on substrates coated with AgNPs has led to a significantly higher number of initiating neurites when compared to substrates coated with AuNPs or ZnONPs. All nanoparticle-coated substrates affected and promoted the elongation of neurites, with a significant positive maximal effect for the AgNPs. Our results, combined with the well-known antibacterial effect of AgNPs, suggest the use of AgNPs as an attractive nanomaterial – with dual activity – for neuronal repair studies.

An enzyme-assisted nanoparticle crosslinking approach to enhance the mechanical strength of peptide-based supramolecular hydrogels

In this work we reported an enzyme-assisted nanoparticle crosslinking (EANC) strategy to enhance the mechanical stability of peptide-based supramolecular hydrogels by more than 3000 times.

Multifunctional cationic polymer decorated and drug intercalated layered silicate (NLS) for early gastric cancer prevention

A multifunctional compound that can prevent early gastric cancer is produced by intercalating 3.20% and 1.64% of 5-FU into the interlayer of montmorillonite (MMT) and attapulgite (At), respectively. A low molecular weight cationic polymer, polyethylenimine (PEI1200), is incorporated into the surface of the 5-FU-MMT and 5-FU-At to form the multifunctional layered silicate (NLS). The chemical structure and surface morphology of the NLS are characterized and the model drug of 5-FU is intercalated into the MMT and At. The cell viability determined by the MTT assay on the BGC-823 cell lines show that over 80% of the cells are live under the experimental conditions. The PEI-5-FU-MMT and PEI-5-FU-At can carry the report gene to the BGC-823 and COS-7 cell lines efficiently. Western blotting assay shows that the pTrail protein of the BGC-823 cell lines treated with PEI-5-FU-MMT/pTrail and PEI-5-FU-At/pTrail is up-regulated, whereas the cFLIP protein is down-regulated at 48 h compared to free 5-FU, PEI1200, MMT, and At, providing evidence that the NLS can increase the sensitivity of pTrail gene and improve the effects of pTrail gene therapy. Moreover, the Helicobacter pylori (HP) bacteria are adsorbed and immobilized efficiently on the surface of the NLS according to the LIVE/DEAD(®) BacLight™ Bacterial Viability Kit in the confocal fluorescence analysis. The histochemical analyses provide evidence that NLS/pTrail can prevent early gastric mucosa effectively.

Bacterial killing by light-triggered release of silver from biomimetic metal nanorods

Illumination of noble metal nanoparticles at the plasmon resonance causes substantial heat generation, and the transient and highly localized temperature increases that result from this energy conversion can be exploited for photothermal therapy by plasmonically heating gold nanorods (NRs) bound to cell surfaces. Here, plasmonic heating is used for the first time to locally release silver from gold core/silver shell (Au@Ag) NRs targeted to bacterial cell walls. A novel biomimetic method of preparing Au@Ag core-shell NRs is employed, involving deposition of a thin organic polydopamine (PD) primer onto Au NR surfaces, followed by spontaneous electroless silver metallization, and conjugation of antibacterial antibodies and passivating polymers for targeting to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Dramatic cytotoxicity of S. epidermidis and E. coli cells targeted with Au@Ag NRs is observed upon exposure to light as a result of the combined antibacterial effects of plasmonic heating and silver release. The antibacterial effect is much greater than with either plasmonic heating or silver alone, implying a strong therapeutic synergy between cell-targeted plasmonic heating and the associated silver release upon irradiation. The findings suggest a potential antibacterial use of Au@Ag NRs when coupled with light irradiation, which has not been previously described.

Redox properties of LDH microcrystals coated with a catechol-bearing phosphonate derived from dopamine

The surface of Zn–Al-chloride LDH microcrystals (LDH = Layered Double Hydroxides) was activated by grafting a redox active catechol bearing bis-phosphonate obtained by dopamine derivatization.

Antimicrobial hydrogels for the treatment of infection

The increasing prevalence of microbial infections, especially those associated with impaired wound healing and biomedical implant failure has spurred the development of new materials having antimicrobial activity. Hydrogels are a class of highly hydrated material finding use in diverse medical applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, as wound fillers, and as implant coatings, to name a few. The biocompatible nature of many gels make them a convenient starting platform to develop selectively active antimicrobial materials. Hydrogels with antimicrobial properties can be obtained through the encapsulation or covalent immobilization of known antimicrobial agents, or the material itself can be designed to possess inherent antimicrobial activity. In this review we present an overview of antimicrobial hydrogels that have recently been developed and when possible provide a discussion relevant to their mechanism of action.

Successful stabilization of functionalized hybrid graphene for high-performance antimicrobial activity

We have prepared an antimicrobial nanocomposite composed of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using antimicrobial agents and catechol derivative conjugated to polyethylene glycol-grafted poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PEG-g-PDMA). Graphene oxide (GO) has been simultaneously reduced by 2-chloro-3',4'-dihydroxyacetophenone (CCDP) in Tris buffer at pH 8.5 following catechol chemistry. Both CCDP and antimicrobial agent 1-bromododecane (C12) were quaternized to PEG-g-PDMA (CCDP-C12)-q-(PEG-g-PDMA). This synthesized polymer functionalized rGO as an antimicrobial nanocomposite, rGO/(CCDP-C12)-q-(PEG-g-PDMA). To increase antimicrobial activity, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were deposited onto the high surface area of rGO/(CCDP-C12)-q-(PEG-g-PDMA). The prepared antimicrobial nanocomposite shows significant stability in aqueous media due to the hydrophilic behaviour of PEG. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation clearly shows the quaternization of C-12 and deposition of Ag NPs onto rGO surfaces. Ag NP-deposited rGO/(CCDP-C12)-q-(PEG-g-PDMA) shows better antimicrobial activity both against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria at lower concentration compared to without applying Ag NPs. Investigation of the cytotoxicity demonstrates outstanding non-toxic properties of both the prepared nanocomposite as well as the synthesized polymer.

Bioinspired templating synthesis of metal-polymer hybrid nanostructures within 3D electrospun nanofibers

Novel metal nanostructures immobilized within three-dimensional (3D) porous polymeric scaffolds have been utilized for catalysts and biosensors. However, efficient, robust immobilization of the nanostructures both outside and inside of the 3D scaffolds is a challenging task. To address the challenge, we synthesized a redox-active polymer, catechol-grafted poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA-g-ct. The grafted catechol is inspired by the adhesion mechanism of marine mussels, which facilitates binding and reduction of noble metal ions. Electrospinning the PVA-g-ct polymer results in highly open porous, 3D nanostructures, on which catechol mediates the spontaneous reduction of silver ions to solid silver nanocubes at an ambient temperature. Yet, gold and platinum ions are partially reduced and complexed with the nanofiber template, requiring an additional thermal treatment for complete reduction into solid metal nanostructures. Furthermore, silver-gold and silver-platinum hybrid nanostructures are generated by sequential treatments with metal ion precursor solutions of each. This study suggests that catechol-grafted polymer nanofibers are an attractive reactive template for the facile synthesis and immobilization of noble metal nanostructures within a 3D porous matrix for the potential applications to sensors, catalysis, and tissue engineering.

Nanotechnology tools for antibacterial materials

The understanding of the interactions between biological systems and nanoengineered devices is crucial in several research fields, including tissue engineering, biomechanics, synthetic biology and biomedical devices. This review discusses the current knowledge of the interactions between bacteria and abiotic nanostructured substrates. First, the effects of randomly organized nanoscale topography on bacterial adhesion and persistence are described. Second, the interactions between microorganisms and highly organized/ordered micro- and nano-patterns are discussed. Finally, we survey the most promising approaches for the fabrication of silver polymeric nanocomposites, which have important applications as antimicrobial materials. The advantages, drawbacks and limitations of such nanotechnologies are critically discussed in view of potential future applications.

Long-term active antimicrobial coatings for surgical sutures based on silver nanoparticles and hyperbranched polylysine

The goal of this study was to develop a long-term active antimicrobial coating for surgical sutures. To this end, two water-insoluble polymeric nanocontainers based on hyperbranched polylysine (HPL), hydrophobically modified by either using glycidyl hexadecyl ether, or a mixture of stearoyl/palmitoyl chloride, were synthesized. Highly stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 2-5 nm in size) were generated by dissolving silver nitrate in the modified HPL solutions in toluene followed by reduction with L-ascorbic acid. Poly(glycolic acid)-based surgical sutures were dip-coated with the two different polymeric silver nanocomposites. The coated sutures showed high efficacies of more than 99.5% reduction of adhesion of living Staphylococcus aureus cells onto the surface compared to the uncoated specimen. Silver release experiments were performed on the HPL-AgNP modified sutures by washing them in phosphate buffered saline for a period of 30 days. These coatings showed a constant release of silver ions over more than 30 days. After this period of washing, the sutures retained their high efficacies against bacterial adhesion. Cytotoxicity tests using L929 mouse fibroblast cells showed that the materials are basically non-cytotoxic.

Cytotoxicity and antibacterial property of titanium alloy coated with silver nanoparticle-containing polyelectrolyte multilayer

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) was incorporated into dopamine-modified alginate/chitosan (DAL/CHI) polyelectrolyte multilayer to modify the surface of titanium alloy and improve its antibacterial property. Scanning electron microscopy showed that AgNP with the size of 50 nm embedded in DAL/CHI multilayers homogeneously. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that the nanoparticles were silver (0) with peaks at 368.4 and 374.4 eV, respectively. The formation of silver (0) without the addition of reductants was due to the self-polymerization of dopamine, which can reduce the silver cation into neutral metal. The polyelectrolyte multilayer coating enhanced the wettability of titanium alloy and promoted the fibroblast proliferation significantly, which could be attributed to the excellent biocompatibility of DAL/CHI. Despite the slight fall of L929 cell activity after AgNP incorporation, AgNP-DAL/CHI multilayer inhibited the growth of both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The above results demonstrate that dopamine decoration is a simple and effective way to induce the in-situ formation of AgNP within polyelectrolyte multilayer. Furthermore, the AgNP-containing multilayer considerably enhances the antibacterial activity of titanium alloy. The fabrication of AgNP-DAL/CHI multilayer on the surface of titanium implant might have great potential in orthopedic use.

Self-assembly of ciprofloxacin and a tripeptide into an antimicrobial nanostructured hydrogel

This work reports the self-assembly of a sparingly soluble antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) and a hydrophobic tripeptide ((D)Leu-Phe-Phe) into supramolecular nanostructures that yield a macroscopic hydrogel at physiological pH. Drug incorporation results in modified morphology and rheological properties of the self-assembled hydrogel. These changes can be correlated with intermolecular interactions between the drug and the peptide, as confirmed by spectroscopic analysis (fluorescence, circular dichroism, IR). The drug appears bound within the hydrogel by non-covalent interactions, and retains its activity over a prolonged release timescale. Antimicrobial activity of the ciprofloxacin-peptide self-assembled hydrogel was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and a clinical strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Interestingly, the peptide hydrogel alone exhibited a mild anti-bacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. While toxic to bacteria, no major cytotoxicity was seen in haemolysis assays of human red blood cells or in mouse fibroblast cell cultures. This new approach of drug incorporation into the nanostructure of a simple tripeptide hydrogel by self-assembly may have important applications for cost-effective wound dressings and novel antimicrobial formulations.

Codepositon of Dopamine/Calcium on Titanium to Enhancing Implant Integration

Calcium plays an important role in various stages of bone repair. Surface calcium modification is a common method to improve the biocompatibility of titanium implant. In this work, anovel facile codeposition dopamine/calcium on titanium alloy method for orthopedics applications was developed. SEM-EDS results showed calcium microspheres uniformly deposited on titanium surface with dopamine. Water contact angle showed the dopamine/calcium modification layer improved the bare titanium surface hydrophobic property. And the dopamine/calcium coating enhanced the cell proliferation by MTT test. The ALP gene expression also showed the dopamine/calcium coating may enhance the cell early differentiation. Such facile method has great potential in titanium applications.

The photocrosslinkable tissue adhesive based on copolymeric dextran/HEMA

We developed a copolymeric bioadhesive system with the potential to be used as a tissue adhesive based on biopolymer dextran. Copolymeric hydrogels comprising a urethane dextran (Dex-U) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were prepared and crosslinked under the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. In this study, the photopolymerization process was monitored by real time infrared spectroscopy (RTIR). The adhesion strength was evaluated by lap-shear-test. The surface tension, viscosity of the solutions and the cytotoxicity assays were investigated. Compared to Dex-U system, the addition of HEMA remarkably improved the properties of Dex-H system especially the adhesion strength and the nontoxicity. And materials variation could be tailored to match the need of tissues. The copolymeric tissue adhesives demonstrated promising adhesion strength and nontoxicity. The maximum adhesion strength reached to 4.33±0.47 Mpa which was 86 times higher than that of Tisseel. The obtained products have the potential to serve as tissue adhesive in the future.