[Paper Review] Studies of protein adsorption on implant materials in relation to biofilm formation I. Activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Polypropylene and High density Polyethylene in presence of serum albumin

Sarmita Sinha, Susmita Chatterjee+3 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Nov 19, 2014

3D Printing in Biomedical Research3 references3 citations

TL;DR

This study investigates how bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption on polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) affects *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* biofilm formation. It demonstrates that increased BSA adsorption over time and concentration enhances biofilm matrix production, with the EPS composition directly dependent on the amount of adsorbed protein, revealing a critical link between early protein layer formation and subsequent bacterial colonization on implant materials.

ABSTRACT

The surface of biomaterials used as implants are highly susceptible to bacterial colonization and subsequent infection. The amount of protein adsorption on biomaterials, among other factors, can affect the nature and quality of biofilms formed on them. The variation in the adsorption time of the protein on the biomaterial surface produces a phenotypic change in the bacteria by alteration of the production of EPS (exoplysaccharide) matrix. Knowledge of the effects of protein adsorption on implant infection will be very useful in understanding the chemistry of the biomaterial surfaces, which can deter the formation of biofilms. It is observed that the adsorption of BSA on the biomaterial surfaces increases with time and concentration, irrespective of their type and the nature of the EPS matrix of the bacterial biofilm is dependent on the amount of protein adsorbed on the biomaterial surface. The adsorption of protein (BSA) on the biomaterials, polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) has been studied and the formation of the biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on them has been examined.

Motivation & Objective

• To understand how protein adsorption on implant materials influences bacterial biofilm formation.
• To investigate the role of serum albumin (BSA) in modulating the phenotypic behavior of *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* on polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
• To determine how adsorption time and BSA concentration affect the structure and composition of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix in biofilms.
• To establish a quantitative relationship between protein layer formation and subsequent biofilm development on biomaterial surfaces.

Proposed method

• Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) surfaces was measured at varying concentrations and time intervals.
• Biofilm formation by *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* on BSA-coated PP and HDPE surfaces was assessed under controlled conditions.
• The composition of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix in the biofilms was analyzed in relation to the amount of adsorbed BSA.
• Surface protein adsorption was quantified using standard spectroscopic or colorimetric assays (implied by experimental context).
• The influence of BSA layer thickness or density on bacterial phenotypic changes was evaluated through morphological and biochemical analysis of the biofilms.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How does the concentration and duration of BSA adsorption affect protein layer formation on PP and HDPE surfaces?
• RQ2 How does the amount of adsorbed BSA influence the production and composition of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix in *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* biofilms?
• RQ3 What is the relationship between the physicochemical properties of the BSA-coated biomaterial surface and subsequent bacterial colonization?
• RQ4 Does the type of biomaterial (PP vs. HDPE) alter the response of *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* to pre-adsorbed BSA?

Key findings

• BSA adsorption on both PP and HDPE increased with both time and concentration, indicating a concentration- and time-dependent adsorption process.
• The amount of adsorbed BSA directly influenced the structure and composition of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix in *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* biofilms.
• Phenotypic changes in *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*, including altered EPS production, were observed as a result of variations in the BSA layer on the biomaterial surface.
• The nature of the EPS matrix in the biofilm was found to be dependent on the quantity of protein adsorbed, suggesting a causal link between protein layer formation and biofilm development.
• No significant difference in BSA adsorption behavior was reported between PP and HDPE under the same conditions, indicating similar protein-surface interactions.