Aims: The present aims were firstly to coat metal implant material with a quorum sensing inhibitory thiophenone molecule, and secondly to assess the inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm accumulation on thiophenone-coated coupons.
Method and results: Thiophenone- and control-coated metal coupons were prepared by silane hydrolysis and dip coating. The linking of thiophenone to the surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. Biofilm by Staph. epidermidis, a frequent cause of implant-associated infections, was allowed to form under flowing conditions for 48 h. The biofilm accumulations were significantly reduced on the thiophenone-coated coupons. This was confirmed by confocal scanning microscopy.
Conclusion: This study showed for the first time how a synthetic thiophenone may be covalently linked to a stainless steel surface, and that biofilm accumulations on such surfaces are significantly reduced.
Significance and impact of the study: Functionalizing surfaces by covalent linking of thiophenones might open a wide array of applications. Thiophenone coating of medical implants represents a novel and promising approach to prevent implant-associated infections.
Keywords: Staphylococcus epidermidis; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; biofilm; confocal microscopy; covalent linking; quorum sensing; thiophenone.
© 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.