Lubricin as a Novel Protein Coating to Prevent Bacterial Biofouling

Abstract

ABSTRACTYearly, there are over six million cataract surgeries worldwide that involve intraocular lenses (IOLs) [1]. However, preventing post-operative biofouling of these lenses remains a challenge. One major complication is post-operative bacterial infection [2]. Surface modification of IOLs may provide a solution. This study proposes the use of the anti-adhesive protein lubricin (LUB), a glycoprotein found in the synovial fluid, as a means to make polymer surfaces less prone to bacterial adhesion and proliferation, thus reducing the opportunity for post-operative infection [3]. This study used extended bacteria growth trials in the presence of lubricin, vitronectin, and mucin to investigate how lubricin and protein sub-regions of lubricin reduce bacterial functions. This study showed for the first time that polymer surface coatings of lubricin and vitronectin significantly reduce Staphylococcus aureus growth over the course of 15 hours, while mucin was only able to delay the start of the Staphylococcus aureus exponential growth phase and retard proliferation. In solution, both lubricin and mucin significantly reduce bacterial proliferation. Thus, the results of this study demonstrated that lubricin and its sub-regions mucin and vitronectin should be studied for a wide range of antibacterial applications.