Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
2303630 
Journal Article 
Polymer Multilayers with pH-Triggered Release of Antibacterial Agents 
Pavlukhina, S; Lu, Y; Patimetha, A; Libera, M; Sukhishvili, S 
2010 
Yes 
Biomacromolecules
ISSN: 1525-7797 
11 
12 
3448-3456 
English 
21028796 
WOS:000285267500028 
We report on the layer-by-layer design principles of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) ultrathin hydrogel coatings that release antimicrobial agents (AmAs) in response to pH variations. The studied AmAs include gentamicin and an antibacterial cationic peptide L5. Adipic acid dihydrazide (AADH) is a cross-linker which, relative to ethylenediamine (EDA), increases the hydrogel hydrophobicity and introduces centers for hydrogen bonding to AmAs. AmA retention in AADH-cross-linked hydrogels in high-salt solutions was enhanced while AmA release at low pH was suppressed. L5 retains its antibacterial activity toward planktonic Staphylococcus epidermidis after release from PMAA hydrogels in response to pH decreases in the surrounding medium due to bacterial growth. Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion and colonization was almost completely inhibited by L5 loading of hydrogels. The AmA-releasing and AmA-retaining properties of these hydrogel coatings provide new opportunities to study the fundamental mechanisms of AmA-coating-bacteria interactions and develop a new class of clinically relevant antibacterial coatings for medical devices.