Tuning the Antimicrobial Activity of Collagen Biomaterials through a Liposomal Approach

Abstract

The development of advanced biocidal agents stands as a global challenge, focused on the increasing demand of new biomaterials with local and gradual release of antimicrobial agents. This is the first time that three well-known materials are strategically combined to develop a novel biomaterial with long-term bactericidal activity that avoids burst release and toxic effects, by the incorporation of silver nanoparticles in liposomes and the subsequent incorporation of these assemblies in collagen hydrogels. These systems show improved mechanical properties and prolonged inhibitory effect on the growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria, while remaining highly biocompatible for epithelial cells. In fact, the hybrid biocomposite prevents bacterial colonization for at least 72 h, allowing at the same time eukaryotic cell proliferation. As a result, this new bactericidal biomaterial provides a new alternative to improve current treatments of bacterial infections with many implications in significant applications, such as wound therapy and tissue regeneration.