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Inhibition of implant-associated infections via nitric oxide release

2005; Elsevier BV; Volume: 26; Issue: 34 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.05.017

1878-5905

Brian J. Nablo, Heather L. Prichard, Renita D. Butler, Bruce Klitzman, Mark H. Schoenfisch,

Polymer Surface Interaction Studies

The in vivo antibacterial activity of nitric oxide (NO)-releasing xerogel coatings was evaluated against an aggressive subcutaneous Staphylococcus aureus infection in a rat model. The NO-releasing implants were created by coating a medical-grade silicone elastomer with a sol–gel-derived (xerogel) film capable of storing NO. Four of the bare or xerogel-coated silicone materials were subcutaneously implanted into male rats. Ten rats were administered 10 μl of a 108 cfu ml−1 S. aureus colony directly into the subcutaneous pocket with the implant prior to wound closure. Infection was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated after 8 d of implantation with microbiological and histological methods, respectively. A 82% reduction in the number of infected implants was achieved with the NO-releasing coating. Histology revealed that the capsule formation around infected bare silicone rubber controls was immunoactive and that a biofilm may have formed. Capsule formation in response to NO-releasing implants had greater vascularity in comparison with uninoculated or untreated controls. These results suggest that NO-releasing coatings may dramatically reduce the incidence of biomaterial-associated infection.