Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant threat in medical settings, often arising from contaminated surfaces and devices. Despite strict sterilization protocols, these infections can still occur, leading to serious complications for patients. Researchers are continually looking for innovative solutions to improve infection control and protect patient health. One promising approach is to use special antibacterial coatings that can be applied to medical devices and blood product storage bags, reducing the risk of infection transmission. Recent advances in this field have shown that polydopamine, a bioinspired polymer, has great potential to prevent HAIs due to its antibacterial properties.
Researchers from Héma-Québec and Laval University have developed an innovative solution to combat these infections using unmodified polydopamine (PDA) coatings. This pioneering study, led by Dr. Danny Brouard together with Sahra Fonseca, Nicolas Fontaine, Marie-Pierre Cayer, Jonathan Robidoux and Professor Denis Boudreau, has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Next Materials.
The main motivation behind this research was to optimize the antibacterial efficacy of PDA coatings to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted bacterial infections. The team explored various conditions for synthesizing PDA, including dopamine monomer concentrations, sample position, stirring rates, and reaction times. These parameters significantly influenced the morphology and wettability of the PDA coatings, which in turn affected their antibacterial properties.
One of the most notable findings of the study is that PDA coatings demonstrated a reduction in bacterial load, particularly against Staphylococcus aureusHowever, the coatings showed lower efficacy against Escherichia colihighlighting the need for further optimization depending on the bacterial strain and application requirements.
The researchers used advanced characterization techniques, such as UV-visible spectrophotometry, contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy, to characterize the coatings. However, excessive roughness did not always correlate with improved antibacterial performance, suggesting that other factors, such as surface charge and hydrophobicity, also play a role.
Importantly, the research also confirmed that the PDA coatings are non-cytotoxic to human cells, potentially making them safe for medical applications. “The minimal cytotoxicity of polydopamine is a crucial finding as it ensures the safety of these coatings when used in medical devices,” Dr. Brouard added.
The potential applications of this research are broad. By preventing bacterial adhesion and proliferation, PDA coatings can significantly reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections, leading to safer medical procedures and better patient outcomes. The researchers suggest that future work should focus on improving the antibacterial properties of PDA through chemical modifications and functionalization.
This study represents a significant advance in the development of antibacterial materials for medical applications. By optimizing the synthesis and application of PDA coatings, Dr. Brouard and his colleagues have paved the way for new strategies to combat healthcare-associated infections and improve healthcare safety.
Journal reference
Fonseca, S., Fontaine, N., Cayer, M.-P., Robidoux, J., Boudreau, D., & Brouard, D. (2024). Synthesis and antibacterial properties of unmodified polydopamine coatings for preventing infections. Next Materials, 3, 100161. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2024.100161
About the authors
Sahra FonsecaMSc, is a professional researcher in the Héma-Québec Research Department. After completing a bachelor's degree in microbiology in 2019, she received her master's degree in biochemistry in 2021 from Université Laval for the evaluation of the antibacterial and anti-adhesion properties of a nanoparticle coating for biomedical applications. Her research focuses mainly on the topics of nanomaterials, polymers, and the quality and safety of blood products.
Nicholas FontaineNicolas Dauphin Ducharme is a postdoctoral researcher in Philippe Dauphin Ducharme's research group at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sherbrooke. After obtaining a BSc in Chemistry with honours in 2017, he received his PhD in 2022 from Laval University for his thesis on the development of highly luminescent nanosensors for the detection of intestinal microbiota metabolites. He then moved to Sherbrooke to begin his training in electrochemistry. His research focuses on the themes of nanomaterials, optical and electrochemical sensors. Nicolas' research is currently supported by FRQNT and aims to improve the analytical performance of electrochemical biosensors based on aptamers to facilitate their implementation in real-life applications.
As part of their studies at Laval University, Nicolas and Sahra have been invited to work together to promote the exchange of their respective expertise. This collaboration highlights the important synergy between Héma-Québec's achievements in microbiology and blood products, as well as that of Professor Boudreau's laboratory for its expertise in the instrumentation and characterization of nanomaterials. Together, they demonstrated the importance of this collaboration for the continued development of active materials and analytical methods in the field of microbiology.
Leave feedback about this