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Scientists at the University of Nottingham have made a significant breakthrough in preventing bacterial infections by discovering surface patterns that drastically reduce bacteria’s ability to multiply on plastics. This innovation could lead to the prevention of infections on medical devices like catheters.
The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that when bacterial cells encounter specific patterned grooves on a surface, they lose their ability to form biofilms. Biofilms are protective, slime-like structures that shield bacteria from the body’s natural defenses and make infections difficult to treat with antibiotics. By preventing biofilm formation, the infection is effectively stopped before it can become established, and the immune system is better able to clear individual bacteria.
The research team was led by Professor Paul Williams (School of Life Sciences) and Professor Morgan Alexander (School of Pharmacy), along with colleagues from the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham and Jan DeBoer in the Netherlands. They identified these patterns by screening over 2,000 designs made from various plastics, including polyurethane, which is commonly used in medical devices.
They found that the most effective biofilm-inhibitory pattern featured small crevices in raised patterns. These crevices trap bacterial cells, tricking them into producing a lubricant that prevents them from sticking to the plastic surface. This “autolubrication” blocks biofilm formation and allows the host’s immune cells to clear the infection.
This physical patterning approach offers an advantage over traditional methods of incorporating antibiotics into plastics, which can contribute to antibiotic resistance. The discovered method can be applied to existing device materials, potentially reducing the barrier to commercial application and saving healthcare costs.
