Biocompatible quaternary pullulan functionalized 2D MoS2 glycosheet-based non-leaching and infection-resistant coatings for indwelling medical implants

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. B, Materials for biology and medicine Vol. 11; no. 43; pp. 10418 - 10432
• Main Authors: Shounak Roy, Haloi, Prakash, Siva, Lokesh B, Chawla, Saurabh, Konkimalla, V Badireenath, Jaiswal, Amit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 08.11.2023
• Subjects: Antibacterial activity; Antibacterial materials; Biocompatibility; Biofilms; Chronic toxicity; Coatings; Colonization; E coli; Electrostatic properties; Fabrication; Infections; Inflammation; Leaching; Mammalian cells; Molybdenum disulfide; Necrosis; Plastic surgery; Polyvinyl fluorides; Pullulan; Reconstructive surgery; Stainless steel; Stainless steels; Substrates; Surgical implants; Transplants & implants
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01816d

Medical implants are frequently used in medicine and reconstructive surgery to treat various pathological and anatomical conditions. However, over time, biofilm formation on the surface of these implants can cause recurrent infections and subsequent inflammatory responses in the host, resulting in tissue damage, necrosis, and re-hospitalization. To address these implant-associated infections, the best approach is to create antimicrobial coatings. Here, we report the fabrication of a biocompatible, non-leaching, and contact-based antibacterial coating for implants using quaternary pullulan functionalized MoS2 (MCP) glycosheets. The cationic MCP glycosheets were coated on the surfaces of polydopamine-modified stainless steel and polyvinyl fluoride substrates through a simple process of electrostatic interaction. The developed coating showed excellent antibacterial activity (>99.5%) against E. coli and S. aureus that remained stable over 30 days without leaching out of the substrates and retained its antibacterial activity. MCP-coated implants did not induce any acute or sub-chronic toxicity to mammalian cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, MCP coating prevented S. aureus colonization on stainless steel implants in a mouse model of implant-associated infection. The MCP coating developed in this study represents a simple, safe, and effective antibacterial coating for preventing implant-associated infections.