AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Biomaterial Interfaces Monday Sessions
       Session BI-MoP

Paper BI-MoP10
SAM-Modification of Biomaterial Surfaces as an Antimicrobial Therapy

Monday, October 31, 2005, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Biomaterial Interfaces Poster Session
Presenter: R.J. Emerson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Authors: R.J. Emerson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
E.R. Soto-Villatoro, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
W.G. McGimpsey, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
T.A. Camesano, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Correspondent: Click to Email
Microbial infections of medical implants occur in more than 2 million surgical cases each year in the United States, increasing patient morbidity, mortality, cost and recovery time. While many methods exist to treat these infections, surgical excision of the infected device is the only certain cure. Clinically, it is of interest to determine the factors affecting microbial adhesion, the precursor to infection, and to formulate adhesion-resistant materials that are effective over protracted time periods. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with a variety of terminal groups were developed and screened for antimicrobial activity. SAM molecules were bound to the surface using non-covalent metal-ligand bonds. The terminal groups of the surfaces included alkanethiols (C11 and C12), isophthalic acid (IPA), silver-containing isophthalic acid (IAG), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and tri-ethylene glycol (TEG). This methodology represents an advantage over physisorbed coatings and antimicrobial-impregnated implants, which may only prevent infection for short time periods, if at all. To screen the surfaces, single, viable bacterial cells (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Clinical isolates) were chemisorbed to the silicon cantilever of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe, and brought into contact with the SAM surfaces. Force profiles were measured for approach and retraction interactions. IPA and IAG coatings showed promising results, since they demonstrated the lowest adhesion forces for the S. epidermidis probe.