A 3D calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite-based scaffold with gold nanoparticles effective against Micrococcus luteus as an artificial bone substitute
Hye‐In Kim, Naren Raja, Jueun Kim, Aram Sung, Yeong‐Jin Choi, Hui‐suk Yun, Honghyun Park
Abstract
During implant surgery, microbial contamination of implants is a major issue that must be addressed to avoid acute and chronic post-surgery infection that may result in acute inflammation, a lengthy healing period, and surgical failure. Bacteria and other microbes use reactive oxygen species (ROS) to send signals between microbes for their proliferation and propagation. Therefore, we developed a functional bone substitute comprised of a ceramic scaffold (Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite, CDHA) and immobilized gold nanoparticles (Au-scaffold) to scavenge microbial ROS and suppress microbial proliferation at early stages. The Au-scaffold can selectively scavenge H2O2 and ∙O2•-, and consequently, effectively inhibit the growth of Micrococcus luteus (M. luteus). In terms of antimicrobial activity, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the Au-scaffold against M. luteus are comparable to commercial antibiotics (e.g., ceftriaxone, ampicillin, streptomycin, gentamycin, and tetracycline). The Au-scaffold also shows higher cell viability than the commercial antibiotics. Thus, with its antimicrobial activity and low toxicity, the developed Au-scaffold has promising potential antibacterial activity against one of the major post-surgical infection bacteria, Micrococcus luteus.