Biofilm inhibition and antifouling evaluation of sol-gel coated silicone implants with prolonged release of eugenol against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

The incidence of biofilm-linked catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) is increasing across the world. However, there is no clinical evidence to support the modifications of biomaterials, such as antimicrobial agent-coated catheters, that are known to reduce the risk of bacterial colonization and resistance development. The present study developed and tested silicone segments coated with an antivirulence agent, eugenol. The parameters for sol–gel preparation and coating were tailored to achieve a prolonged release of eugenol (for >35 days) at predefined antivirulence doses from dip-coated thin films. The eugenol-coated segments could prevent biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 as well as bacterial adhesion. Significant repression in the expression of virulence and biofilm-associated genes were recorded, confirming the antivirulence and biofilm inhibition properties of silicone segments coated with eugenol. The drug release profiles, efficacy analysis, neutrophil-response studies, and in vitro toxicity profiling further supported the contention that the activity of the eugenol-coated sections was effective and safe.

Keywords:

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• quorum sensing
• antivirulence
• eugenol
• biofilm

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the GC-MS facility and SEM facility (funded by the Department of Science and Technology-FIST program, Government of India) in VIT, Vellore for providing the necessary services to conduct this study. The authors are thankful to Ms Leema George, Mr Arkin V. H, and Mr Jobin John Jacob, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT, Vellore for helping with the cell culture studies, FT-IR analysis and microscopic examinations, respectively. The authors also acknowledge the language usage and editing service done by Mr Anubhav Chakroborty, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT, Vellore.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Financial assistance rendered to Prasanth Rathinam in the form of a Senior Research Fellow by the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi (Grant number- 80/903/2014-ECD-1) is greatly acknowledged.