Journal Article

Hypochlorous-Acid-Generating Electrochemical Scaffold for Treatment of Wound Biofilms

Kiamco, Mia Mae, Beyenal, Haluk, Zmuda, Hannah M., Mohamed, Abdelrhman, Call, Douglas R., Patel, Robin, Raval, Yash S.

2019

Overview

Biofilm formation causes prolonged wound infections due to the dense biofilm structure, differential gene regulation to combat stress, and production of extracellular polymeric substances. Acinetobacter baumannii , Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are three difficult-to-treat biofilm-forming bacteria frequently found in wound infections. This work describes a novel wound dressing in the form of an electrochemical scaffold (e-scaffold) that generates controlled, low concentrations of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) suitable for killing biofilm communities without substantially damaging host tissue. Production of HOCl near the e-scaffold surface was verified by measuring its concentration using needle-type microelectrodes. E-scaffolds producing 17, 10 and 7 mM HOCl completely eradicated S. aureus , A. baumannii , and P. aeruginosa biofilms after 3 hours, 2 hours, and 1 hour, respectively. Cytotoxicity and histopathological assessment showed no discernible harm to host tissues when e-scaffolds were applied to explant biofilms. The described strategy may provide a novel antibiotic-free strategy for treating persistent biofilm-associated infections, such as wound infections.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 631/1647 / 631/61 / Acinetobacter baumannii - drug effects / Acinetobacter baumannii - physiology / Animals / Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism / Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology / Bacterial Infections - microbiology / Bacterial Infections - prevention & control / Biofilms / Biofilms - drug effects / Biofilms - growth & development / Cell Survival - drug effects / Cells, Cultured / Cytotoxicity / Ear, External - cytology / Ear, External - drug effects / Ear, External - microbiology / Electrochemical Techniques - instrumentation / Electrochemical Techniques - methods / Electrochemistry / Electrodes / Gene regulation / Humanities and Social Sciences / Hypochlorous acid / Hypochlorous Acid - metabolism / Hypochlorous Acid - pharmacology / Infections / Microelectrodes / multidisciplinary / Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects / Pseudomonas aeruginosa - physiology / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Staphylococcus aureus / Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects / Staphylococcus aureus - physiology / Swine / Time Factors / Wound Infection - microbiology / Wound Infection - prevention & control / Wounds