Antimicrobial performance of mesoporous titania thin films: role of pore size, hydrophobicity, and antibiotic release

• Published in: International journal of nanomedicine Vol. 11; no. Issue 1; pp. 977 - 990
• Main Authors: Atefyekta, Saba, Ercan, Batur, Karlsson, Johan, Taylor, Erik, Chung, Stanley, Webster, Thomas J, Andersson, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Taylor & Francis Ltd 01-01-2016; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; antibacterial; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Bacterial Adhesion - drug effects; Biofilms; Cell adhesion & migration; Chemical engineering; Contact angle; Drug Carriers - chemistry; drug delivery; Drug dosages; Drug Liberation; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; implant coating; Infections; Medical equipment; Mesoporous titania; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Original Research; Pore size; Porosity; Prostheses and Implants - microbiology; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - physiology; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - physiology; Thin films; Titanium; Titanium - chemistry; Transplants & implants; United States > US; antibacterial; implant coating; drug delivery; mesoporous titania
• ISSN: 1178-2013; 1176-9114; 1178-2013
• DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S95375

Implant-associated infections are undesirable complications that might arise after implant surgery. If the infection is not prevented, it can lead to tremendous cost, trauma, and even life threatening conditions for the patient. Development of an implant coating loaded with antimicrobial substances would be an effective way to improve the success rate of implants. In this study, the in vitro efficacy of mesoporous titania thin films used as a novel antimicrobial release coating was evaluated. Mesoporous titania thin films with pore diameters of 4, 6, and 7 nm were synthesized using the evaporation-induced self-assembly method. The films were characterized and loaded with antimicrobial agents, including vancomycin, gentamicin, and daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to evaluate their effectiveness toward inhibiting bacterial colonization. Drug loading and delivery were studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring, which showed successful loading and release of the antibiotics from the surfaces. Results from counting bacterial colony-forming units showed reduced bacterial adhesion on the drug-loaded films. Interestingly, the presence of the pores alone had a desired effect on bacterial colonization, which can be attributed to the documented nanotopographical effect. In summary, this study provides significant promise for the use of mesoporous titania thin films for reducing implant infections.