Poly(Amino Acid) LbL Multilayers with Embedded Silver and Copper Oxide Nanoparticles as Biocompatible Antibacterial Coatings

The growing concern over implant-associated infections motivates the development of novel antibacterial coatings for medical devices as an effective strategy in reducing the occurrence of IAI. Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) incorporating metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) as antimicrobial components receive special attention for their ability to coat diverse surface types and low potential to induce antimicrobial resistance. This study investigates the potential of poly(amino acid) multilayers consisting of poly-L-lysine and poly-L-glutamic acid with embedded silver (PEMAg) or copper oxide (PEMCuO) deposited on titanium surfaces for the coating of medical surfaces. The results of the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, scanning electron microscopy, and electron dispersive spectroscopy show that both types of NPs are successfully incorporated in the PEM and deposited over the entire coated surface. The incorporation of NPs in PEM prevents the burst release. The viability of MG-63 cells is higher than 70% on all investigated PEMs, confirming their biocompatibility. PEMCuO shows better biofilm prevention compared to PEMAg, entirely preventing Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm and allowing the formation of only weak Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. The results obtained confirm the high potential of poly(amino acids) multilayers with embedded metal/metal oxide NPs as biocompatible antimicrobial coatings for medical devices.