Initial Adhesion Of Bacteria Research Articles

Bacterial adhesion and surface roughness of particulate-filled and short fiber-reinforced composites.

The objective of the study was to assess the initial adhesion of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and surface roughness of different particulate-filled (PFC) and short fiber-reinforced (SFRC) composites. Five PFC composites (CeramX Universal, Filtek Universal, Omnichroma, Tetric Prime and Venus Diamond) and four SFRC composites (everX Posterior, everX Flow Bulk, everX Flow Dentin and experimental packable SFRC) were tested in this study. A non-contact 3D profilometer was employed to assess the surface roughness (Ra) of the polished specimens (using 4000-grit abrasive paper). For the bacterial adhesion test, the specimens (n = 5/group) were immersed in a solution of S. mutans to facilitate initial adhesion. To determine the number of cells on the surfaces of the discs as colony-forming units (CFU), the vials holding the microbial samples were highly agitated using a vortex machine. Subsequently, the samples were diluted multiple times and anaerobically incubated for 48h at 37°C on Mitis Salivarius Agar plates (Difco) supplemented with bacitracin. Bacterial adherence assessment was performed using SEM. The data were analyzed using ANOVA. All tested PFC and SFRC composites showed similar adhesion of S. mutan. The lowest Ra values (0.26µm) (p < 0.05) were found in the flowable SFRCs (everX Flow Bulk & Dentin), while the highest values (p < 0.05) were observed in CeramX and everX Posterior (0.42µm). Experimental SFRC had comparable Ra value (0.38µm) than other commercial composites. The presence of short microfibers in the composite appeared to have no adverse effects on the initial adhesion of bacteria or the surface roughness.

Leaching-Free durable antibacterial composite films constructed via delicate balance between potent contact sterilization and low adhesion

Durable antibacterial surfaces are often required high bactericidal ability and low bacterial adhesion property, but the potent bactericidal surfaces, especially based on the contact bactericidal mechanism, are often paradoxically intended to attract bacteria to adhere. In this work, a delicate balance between the potent contact bactericidal action and low bacterial adhesion was successfully achieved in quaternized fluoropolymer/SiO2 composite films (QFP/SiO2 CFs) through judicious selection of a common fluorinated monomer, a common quaternary ammonium monomer, and a common inert inorganic nanoparticle, to acquire suitable surface energy and chain mobility to ensure low bacterial adhesion, as well as to allow appropriate surface-exposed quaternary ammonium units to synergistically enhance the contact bactericidal action with the specific fluorinated side chains. The QFP/SiO2 CFs were conveniently fabricated through miniemulsion polymerization and followed squeegeeing technique. The QFP/SiO2 CF with an optimized composition exhibited extremely low initial adhesion of bacteria, potent contact bactericidal action, superior long-term antibacterial performance, easy sonication-assistant regeneration for multiple usage, and low cytotoxicity with non-leachable attribute. This work may guide the design and efficient fabrication of leaching-free durable antibacterial surfaces for biological applications, as well as provide an effective strategy to balance contact bactericidal action and low bacteria adhesion for durable antibacterial performance.

Bio-Piezoelectric Ceramic Composites for Electroactive Implants-Biological Performance.

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) piezoelectric ceramic may be a potential alternative for promoting osseointegration due to its piezoelectric properties similar to bone electric potentials generated in loading function. In this sense, the aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the cellular response of human osteoblasts and gingival fibroblasts as well as the impact on S. oralis when in contact with BaTiO3 functionalized zirconia implant surfaces with piezoelectric properties. Zirconia discs with BaTiO3 were produced and contact poling (piezo activation) was performed. Osteoblasts (hFOB 1.19), fibroblasts (HGF hTERT) and S. oralis were culture on discs. Cell viability and morphology, cell differentiation markers, bacterial adhesion and growth were evaluated. The present study suggests that zirconia composite surfaces with the addition of piezoelectric BaTiO3 are not cytotoxic to peri-implant cells. Also, they seem to promote a faster initial osteoblast differentiation. Moreover, these surfaces may inhibit the growth of S. oralis by acting as a bacteriostatic agent over time. Although the piezoelectric properties do not affect the cellular inflammatory profile, they appear to enable the initial adhesion of bacteria, however this is not significant over the entire testing period. Furthermore, the addition of non-poled BaTiO3 to zirconia may have a potential reduction effect on IL-6 mediated-inflammatory activity in fibroblasts.

Plasma treatment process for accelerating the disintegration of a biodegradable mulch film in soil and compost

Biodegradable Mulch Films (BMFs) offer a sustainable alternative to traditional non-degradable (Polyethylene) PE mulch films. However, their slow rate of biodegradation can lead to plastics accumulation in soil. In this study, a commercially available BMF based on poly (butylene adipate co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is examined. Here the effects of gliding arc plasma treatment on the bulk and surface properties, as well as its degradation behavior in soil and compost is studied. An increase in surface oxygen containing species and hydrophilicity was observed following plasma treatment. Only a small hydrophobic recovery was noted over 30 days. No changes in the bulk polymer molecular weight or thermal properties following treatment were noted. However, a decrease in mechanical strength was observed following gliding arc plasma treatment. The onset of film fragmentation in both soil and compost occurred earlier for a plasma treated film and we attribute this to an improvement in the initial adhesion of bacteria on the surface.

Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Meat Part 1: Where did the STEC come from?

Abstract The abbreviation STEC refers to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serotypes. STEC includes subgroups of E. coli with many different characteristics and virulence factors. One of these subgroups is the EHEC (enterohemorrhagic) pathotype, which are the agents of haemorrhagic diarrhoea in humans. In addition to undercooked minced beef dishes (hamburgers), chopped meat products, unpasteurised milk, lettuce, cantaloupes, apple juice, and vegetables have all been reported as vehicles for STEC transmission. Outside the mammalian intestinal tract, intestinal bacteria are threatened by predatory protozoa. STEC strains carrying stx genes have developed a defence strategy based on the production of Shiga toxin able to kill eukaryotic cells. STEC pathogenesis in humans involves the initial adhesion of bacteria to the intestinal epithelium in the ileum and, later, colonisation of the colon with the production of the Shiga toxin. The barrier function of the epithelium and ion transport are disrupted, causing diarrhoea. A pathogenicity island called LEE (locus of enterocyte effacement) is a crucial genome segment for EHEC pathogenesis.

Effect of silver ion implantation on antibacterial ability of polyethylene food packing films

Bacterial adhesion on medical instruments’ and food packages’ surfaces causes implanted infections, food spoilage and human disease, therefore attracts a lot of attention in the field of medical and food applications. Containing the initial adhesion of bacteria on the surface of the material plays an important role in reducing potential safety hazards. In this work, we investigate the influence of silver ion implantation with different doses on the antibacterial performance of the polyethylene (PE) films. It is found out that silver ion implantation will not color the PE films but can improve their surface hydrophilicity. The silver-implanted PE films show the ability to inhibit bacterial adhesion and have the bactericidal effect, both of which can be improved with increasing silver implantation dose. This method also proves relatively safe, because the silver ions are relatively stable. The results will introduce potential applications for ion implantation in the food packing and food accessible materials.

Rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rn19a Modifies the Biofilm Formation over a Borosilicate Surface by Clinical Isolates

Microbial cells are reversibly associated with surfaces in the form of biofilms. Adhesion is the mechanism used by the microorganisms to bind to a surface initially; no biofilm is formed without the initial adhesion. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of the rhamnolipids of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rn19a in inhibiting the biofilms formed by the clinical isolates Escherichia coli I5, Pseudomonas aeruginosa E26, Enterococcus faecalis I27 on borosilicate coupons inside a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reactor. The isolate E26 (P. aeruginosa) did not show an adverse effect on biofilm formation by the rhamnolipid presence and showed normal growth in all the conditions tested (dynamic and static growth). The Enterococcus faecalis I27 isolate decreased its biofilm formation ability in 2.2 log CFU/cm2 in static conditions by the addition of rhamnolipids and 3.0 log units in dynamic conditions. Finally, the E. coli I5 isolate was more susceptible to the influence of the borosilicate coupon covered with rhamnolipids. E5 reduced its biofilm formation capacity by 3.0 log CFU/cm2 units at static conditions by the rhamnolipid addition and 6.0 log units at dynamic conditions. Biofilm formation was also observed by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. In summary, the application of rhamnolipids may be useful to prevent the initial adhesion of bacteria to borosilicate surfaces. At a minimum, rhamnolipids effectively inhibit or diminish adhesion to surfaces by biofilm-forming isolates that do not belong to the genus Pseudomonas.

Modifying Supports Surfaces by Dairy Wastewater Conditioning Film and Relationship with Initial Bacterial Adhesion

The choice of the best support for microbial adhesion can improve the start-up speed and efficiency of dairy wastewater treatment by biofilm bioreactors. In this study, three substrates were tested: PP (polypropylene), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). By using the contact angle method, the surface physicochemical characteristics of the bacterium, inert substrates, and substrates after dairy wastewater (DWW) conditioning film were measured to understand its impact on adhesion as well as the most suitable material to optimize bacterial adhesion. DWW conditioning film affects the physicochemical characteristics of plastic supports and improves the initial adhesion of bacteria to substrates. Results of initial adhesion tests for untreated and treated supports showed differences in how bacterial cells adhered to substrates. Before treatment, PVC and then PP showed a significant adhesion capacity, double that of PET. After modifying by DWW, initial bacterial adhesion increased by 106 (105 to 1011 CFU/cm2) and PVC demonstrated the highest adhesion capacity, followed by PP and finally PET. Therefore, before the modification of the supports by DWW, PP and PVC are in the same rank for the initial bacterial adhesion and after the modification, PVC seems to be the best for initial bacterial adhesion.

Self-Adaptive Antibacterial Coating for Universal Polymeric Substrates Based on a Micrometer-Scale Hierarchical Polymer Brush System.

Surface-tethered hierarchical polymer brushes find wide applications in the development of antibacterial surfaces due to the well-defined spatial distribution and the separate but complementary properties of different blocks. Existing methods to achieve such polymer brushes mainly focused on inorganic material substrates, precluding their practical applications on common medical devices. In this work, a hierarchical polymer brush system is proposed and facilely constructed on polymeric substrates via light living graft polymerization. The polymer brush system with micrometer-scale thickness exhibits a unique hierarchical architecture consisting of a poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) outer layer and an anionic inner layer loading with cationic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) via electrostatic attraction. The surface of this system inhibits the initial adhesion of bacteria by the PHEMA hydration outer layer under neutral pH conditions; when bacteria adhere and proliferate on this surface, the bacterially induced acidification triggers the cleavage of labile amide bonds within the inner layer to expose the positively charged amines and vigorously release melittin (MLT), allowing the surface to timely kill the adhering bacteria. The hierarchical surface employs multiple antibacterial mechanisms to combat bacterial infection and shows high sensitiveness and responsiveness to pathogens. A new paradigm is supplied by this modular hierarchical polymer brushes system for the progress of intelligent surfaces on universal polymer substrates, showing great potential to a promising strategy for preventing infection related to medical devices.

Bacterial adhesion inhibitor prevents infection in a rodent surgical incision model

ABSTRACT Surgical site infection risk continues to increase due to lack of efficacy in current standard of care drugs. New methods to treat or prevent antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are needed. Multivalent Adhesion Molecules (MAM) are bacterial adhesins required for virulence. We developed a bacterial adhesion inhibitor using recombinant MAM fragment bound to polymer scaffold, mimicking MAM7 display on the bacterial surface. Here, we test MAM7 inhibitor efficacy to prevent Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections. Using a rodent model of surgical infection, incision sites were infected with antibiotic-resistant bioluminescent strains of Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infections were treated with MAM7 inhibitor or control suspension. Bacterial abundance was quantified for nine days post infection. Inflammatory responses and histology were characterized using fixed tissue sections. MAM7 inhibitor treatment decreased burden of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa below detection threshold. Bacterial load of groups treated with control were significantly higher than MAM7 inhibitor-treated groups. Treatment with inhibitor reduced colonization of clinically-relevant pathogens in an in vivo model of surgical infection. Use of MAM7 inhibitor to block initial adhesion of bacteria to tissue in surgical incisions may reduce infection rates, presenting a strategy to mitigate overuse of antibiotics to prevent surgical site infections.

Cationic conjugated polymers for enhancing beneficial bacteria adhesion and biofilm formation in gut microbiota

It is important to develop efficient therapeutic methods to maintain a healthy balance among gut microbiota by increasing the beneficial bacteria and decreasing the harmful bacteria. In this work, a cationic polythiophene derivative poly(3-(3′-N,N,N-triethylamino-1′-propyloxy)-4-methyl-2,5-thiophene hydrochloride) (PMNT) with quaternary ammonium groups as side chains has been used for efficiently promoting the initial adhesion and biofilm formation of beneficial bacteria in gut microbiota. Upon addition of PMNT, three species of gut microbiota have an increased biofilm formation ability (216.5 % for Escherichia coli (E. coli), 130.7 % for Bifidobacterium infantis (B. infants) and 47.6 % for Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis)). As the initial adhesion of bacteria to a surface is an essential step during biofilm formation, PMNT can promote the attachment of bacteria by forming bacteria /PMNT aggregates which possess more cell-to-cell interactions. RNA sequencing results of bacteria within biofilm indicate that the utilization of carbohydrate and glycan is accelerated in the presence of PMNT, leading to enhanced quorum sensing and biofilm formation of E. coli. After forming biofilm, beneficial bacteria have an enhanced resistance to adverse environmental conditions which is significant for maintaining the balance of gut microbiota. Conjugated polymers exhibit a good potential application in modulating the balance of gut microbiota and development of new probiotics drugs.

Study of Initial Adhesion of a Bacterium to Different Support Materials before and after Conditioning Film of Olive Oil-Mill Wastewater

To improve the start-up speed and efficiency of bioreactors, biofilm technology is sometimes used. This technology uses various types of materials to facilitate the adhesion of microorganisms. In this study, the surface characteristics of inert substrates and substrates after olive oil-mill wastewater (OMWW) conditioning film were evaluated to understand the impact of OMWW on adhesion as well as the most suitable material to optimize bacterial adhesion. Three common substrates made of different polymers were tested for bacterial adhesion before and after treatment with OMWW: PP (polypropylene), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The surfaces’ physicochemical characteristics were studied by measuring the contact angle for the studied bacteria strain and the supports, before and after treatment with OMWW. Results of initial adhesion tests for untreated and treated supports showed differences in how bacterial cells adhered to substrates. Before treatment with OMWW, PVC and then PP showed a significant adhesion capacity, double that of PET [PVC: 1.58 × 105 CFU/cm2, PP: 1.48 × 105 CFU/cm2 and PET: 0.72 × 105 CFU/cm2]. After treatment with OMWW, initial bacterial adhesion increased by 106 (from 105 CFU/cm2 for untreated supports to 1011 CFU/cm2 for treated supports), and PET followed by PP demonstrated the highest adhesion capacity, 2 and 1.7 times more than PVC, respectively [PET: 1.39 × 1011 CFU/cm2, PP: 1.15 × 1011 CFU/cm2 and PVC: 0.67 × 1011 CFU/cm2]. OMWW conditioning film affects the physicochemical characteristics of plastic supports, especially the donor electron character, and improves the initial adhesion of bacteria to substrates (105 to 1011 CFU/cm2). Therefore, surfaces’ physicochemical characteristics were important in the initial adhesion of the bacteria onto the support before and after treatment.

Silver nanowires on acid-alkali-treated titanium surface: Bacterial attachment and osteogenic activity

In the present work, a nanoscale porous surface was gradually prepared on Ti surface by two-step method of acid corrosion and NaOH–H2O2 mixing treatment. This led to the formation of a TiO2 coating at the surface of the underlying Ti substrate. Then, silver nanowires were deposited on the nanostructured surface by spin-coating technology. The nanowires were found to be evenly introduced into the nanostructured TiO2 coating. The modified Ti surface showed good wettability and protein adsorption capacity. More importantly, in-vitro cellular and bacterial assays indicated that the modified Ti surface possessed not only the excellent adhesion and differentiation abilities for osteoblasts but also relatively strong antimicrobial capacities for both S. aureus and E. coli. The results suggest that such modified Ti surfaces greatly prefer the initial adhesion of osteoblast-like cells over the initial adhesion of bacteria. The surface modification that we made to Ti substrate can promisingly meet clinical requirements.

Depriving Bacterial Adhesion‐Related Molecule to Inhibit Biofilm Formation Using CeO2‐Decorated Metal‐Organic Frameworks

The formation of bacterial biofilm is one of the causes of antimicrobial resistance, often leading to persistent infections and a high fatality rate. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel and effective strategies to inhibit biofilm formation. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) plays an important role in bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation through stimulating cell lysis and extracellular DNA (eDNA) release. Herein, a simple and robust strategy for inhibiting biofilm formation is developed using CeO2 -decorated porphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The function of extracellular ATP (eATP) can be inhibited by CeO2 nanoparticles, leading to the disruption of the initial adhesion of bacteria. Furthermore, planktonic bacteria can be killed by cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by MOFs. As a consequence, the synergic effect of eATP deprivation and ROS generation presents excellent capacity to prevent biofilm formation, which may provide a new direction for designing flexible and effective biofilm-inhibiting systems.

Clickable Zwitterionic Copolymer as a Universal Biofilm‐Resistant Coating

AbstractHospital‐acquired infections are often caused by bacterial biofilms on medical devices. To prevent biofilm formation, herein, a universal coating of an antifouling polymer that inhibits the initial adhesion of bacteria is developed. This copolymer is made of methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and a methacrylate‐substituted dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) (poly(MPC‐DHLA)). The MPC units provide the antifouling property, while the DHLA units offer cross‐linkable sites via thiol‐ene reactions to form the stable coated copolymer film. Without the requirement for covalent surface grafting, the poly(MPC‐DHLA) coating on various biomedically relevant substrates is investigated, where X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, and ellipsometry are used to confirm the success of the surface coating. Moreover, to mimic an actual clinical use, the copolymer coating is applied on a titanium dental substrate and the ability to inhibit biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus is quantified and visualized by crystal violet staining and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. As compared with the bare substrate, an effective reduction in bacterial adhesion and suppression of the subsequent biofilm formation is observed on the copolymer‐modified substrate. These features are maintained for up to 7 d indicating the durability as well as universal applicability of this coating approach.

A sustainable bio-carrier medium for wastewater treatment: Modified basalt fiber

Bio-carrier plays important roles in the performance of biological contact oxidation reactors for wastewater treatment. Most of the conventional bio-carriers are polymeric. Developing more sustainable materials is necessary to reduce the overconsumption of petrochemicals and second pollution after disposal. This work studied the inorganic basalt fiber (BF) fabricated from nature basalt rock as a green and sustainable bio-carrier medium for wastewater treatment. To improve the bio-affinity, the silica-based BF was modified with a hydrophilic cationic polymer (hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, CTAC). The modified basalt fiber (MBF) showed a more hydrophilic and positively charged surface. The bio-affinity of BF and MBF bio-carriers were evaluated in Bacillus subtilis adhesion and activated sludge immobilization tests. The influence of CTAC coating on the initial adhesion of bacteria and subsequent biomass immobilization was investigated. The results showed that MBF bio-carriers had higher biomass attachment capacity and microorganism diversity with shorter biofilm formation time. The reported MBF provided an environmental-friendly, sustainable and economical alternative to conventional bio-carriers for wastewater treatment.

Cytotoxicity and antibacterial efficacy of silver deposited onto titanium plates by low-energy ion implantation

Abstract

Mechanical Characteristics, In Vitro Degradation, Cytotoxicity, and Antibacterial Evaluation of Zn-4.0Ag Alloy as a Biodegradable Material.

Zn-based biodegradable metallic materials have been regarded as new potential biomaterials for use as biodegradable implants, mainly because of the ideal degradation rate compared with those of Mg-based alloys and Fe-based alloys. In this study, we developed and investigated a novel Zn-4 wt % Ag alloy as a potential biodegradable metal. A thermomechanical treatment was applied to refine the microstructure and, consequently, to improve the mechanical properties, compared to pure Zn. The yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation of the Zn-4Ag alloy are 157 MPa, 261 MPa, and 37%, respectively. The corrosion rate of Zn-4Ag calculated from released Zn ions in DMEM extracts is approximately 0.75 ± 0.16 μg cm–2 day–1, which is higher than that of pure Zn. In vitro cytotoxicity tests showed that the Zn-4Ag alloy exhibits acceptable toxicity to L929 and Saos-2 cells, and could effectively inhibit initial bacteria adhesion. This study shows that the Zn-4Ag exhibits excellent mechanical properties, predictable degradation behavior, acceptable biocompatibility, and effective antibacterial properties, which make it a candidate biodegradable material.

Exogenous N-acyl homoserine lactones facilitate microbial adhesion of high ammonia nitrogen wastewater on biocarrier surfaces

Startup of biofilm process triggered by initial adhesion of bacteria is difficult in high ammonia nitrogen wastewater treatment. In this study, the influence of two commonly used N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), N-Hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) and N-Octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL), on the adhesion of soluble macromolecules and bacteria in four types of high ammonia nitrogen wastewater to surfaces of model biocarriers (i.e. polystyrene, polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate) was investigated by using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring technology. Results showed that the adhesion was enhanced by the addition of exogenous AHLs and there was more microbial retention attributed by C8-HSL. Greater deposition amount was generally found on PS and better enhanced performances of the adhesion were found on PA surface. Furthermore, viscoelastic film formed under synchronous high-low salinity and organic content and dominant bacteria of real wastewater determined the role of exogenous AHLs. The method of adding moderate amount of exogenous AHLs into bioreactors has important implications for accelerating the startup process treating high ammonia nitrogen wastewater by biofilm process.

Prevention of Bacterial Colonization on Catheters by a One-Step Coating Process Involving an Antibiofouling Polymer in Water.

As reports of multidrug resistant pathogens have increased, patients with implanted medical catheters increasingly need alternative solutions to antibiotic treatments. As most catheter-related infections are directly associated with biofilm formation on the catheter surface, which, once formed, is difficult to eliminate, a promising approach to biofilm prevention involves inhibiting the initial adhesion of bacteria to the surface. In this study, we report an amphiphilic, antifouling polymer, poly(DMA-mPEGMA-AA) that can facilely coat the surfaces of commercially available catheter materials in water and prevent bacterial adhesion to and subsequent colonization of the surface, giving rise to an antibiofilm surface. The antifouling coating layer was formed simply by dipping a model substrate (polystyrene, PET, PDMS, or silicon-based urinary catheter) in water containing poly(DMA-mPEGMA-AA), followed by characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The antibacterial adhesion properties of the polymer-coated surface were assessed for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth under static (incubation in the presence of a bacterial suspension) and dynamic (bacteria suspended in a solution under flow) conditions. Regardless of the conditions, the polymer-coated surface displayed significantly reduced attachment of the bacteria (antiadhesion effect > ∼8-fold) compared to the bare noncoated substrates. Treatment of the implanted catheters with S. aureus in vivo further confirmed that the polymer-coated silicon urinary catheters could significantly reduce bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation in a bacterial infection animal model. Furthermore, the polymer-coated catheters did not induce hemolysis and were resistant to the adhesion of blood-circulating cells, indicative of high biocompatibility. Collectively, the present amphiphilic antifouling polymer is potentially useful as a coating platform that renders existing medical devices resistant to biofilm formation.