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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2022) | Viewed by 24741

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ángel Serrano-Aroca

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Guest Editor

Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, c/Guillem de Castro 94, 46001 Valencia, Spain
Interests: polymers; nanomaterials; nanocomposites; biomaterials; antimicrobial materials; regenerative medicine; tissue engineering; biomedical engineering
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Dr. Murtaza M. Tambuwala

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Guest Editor

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
Interests: nanoparticles; anti-inflamamtory; anti-cancer; anti-microbials; drug delviery; biomedical engineering; 3D printing
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Dr. Martin Birkett

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Interests: thin films; coatings; nanomaterials; nanocomposites; antimicrobial materials; biocompatible materials; structural properties; mechanical properties; manufacturing; process optimisation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The recent outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a clear example of how pathogens can cause disastrous effects on global human health and the economy. The next forecasted pandemics will occur due to antimicrobial resistance, which is increasing at an alarming rate. Important viral and bacterial transmission ways are via material contact and aerosols. Therefore, the development of new antimicrobial materials and coatings capable of preventing viral and bacterial transmission is becoming more and more important to keep humans safe from emerging infectious pathogens. Furthermore, the toxicological aspects of these new materials are also very important. Conventional antimicrobial agents include quaternary ammonium compounds, metal ions/oxides, carbon nanomaterials, and antimicrobial peptides. Contributions to this Special Issue will provide new insights into antimicrobial solutions that can prevent viral and bacterial infectious; particularly against SARS-CoV-2. Types of manuscripts to be featured include Articles and Reviews.

Prof. Dr. Ángel Serrano-Aroca
Dr. Murtaza M. Tambuwala
Dr. Martin Birkett
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biomaterials
polymers
metals
ceramics
composites
coatings
nanomaterials
nanocarriers
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
viruses
bacteria
fungi: multidrug-resistant

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 196 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials

by Ángel Serrano-Aroca, Murtaza M. Tambuwala and Martin Birkett

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(14), 8047; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23148047 - 21 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1854

Abstract

The aim of this Special Edition is to highlight the exponential work performed in the field of antimicrobial material research from the beginning of the current COVID-19 pandemic [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

Research

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19 pages, 2809 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Loading of Polydimethylsiloxane with a Human ApoB-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide to Prevent Bacterial Infections

by Maria De Luca, Rosa Gaglione, Bartolomeo Della Ventura, Angela Cesaro, Rocco Di Girolamo, Raffaele Velotta and Angela Arciello

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5219; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23095219 - 07 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1686

Abstract

Background: medical device-induced infections affect millions of lives worldwide and innovative preventive strategies are urgently required. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) appear as ideal candidates to efficiently functionalize medical devices surfaces and prevent bacterial infections. In this scenario, here, we produced antimicrobial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by loading this polymer with an antimicrobial peptide identified in human apolipoprotein B, r(P)ApoB_L^Pro. Methods: once obtained loaded PDMS, its structure, anti-infective properties, ability to release the peptide, stability, and biocompatibility were evaluated by FTIR spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, broth microdilution method, time-killing kinetic assays, quartz crystal microbalance analyses, MTT assays, and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Results: PDMS was loaded with r(P)ApoB_L^Pro peptide which was found to be present not only in the bulk matrix of the polymer but also on its surface. ApoB-derived peptide was found to retain its antimicrobial properties once loaded into PDMS and the antimicrobial material was found to be stable upon storage at 4 °C for a prolonged time interval. A gradual and significant release (70% of the total amount) of the peptide from PDMS was also demonstrated upon 400 min incubation and the antimicrobial material was found to be endowed with anti-adhesive properties and with the ability to prevent biofilm attachment. Furthermore, PDMS loaded with r(P)ApoB_L^Pro peptide was found not to affect the viability of eukaryotic cells. Conclusions: an easy procedure to functionalize PDMS with r(P)ApoB_L^Pro peptide has been here developed and the obtained functionalized material has been found to be stable, antimicrobial, and biocompatible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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17 pages, 1428 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyethylene Films Containing Plant Extracts in the Polymer Matrix as Antibacterial and Antiviral Materials

by Magdalena Ordon, Magdalena Zdanowicz, Paweł Nawrotek, Xymena Stachurska and Małgorzata Mizielińska

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413438 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3238

Abstract

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) films covered with active coatings containing mixtures of rosemary, raspberry, and pomegranate CO₂ extracts were found to be active against selected bacterial strains that may extend the shelf life of food products. The coatings also offer antiviral activity, due to their influence on the activity of Φ6 bacteriophage, selected as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 particles. The mixture of these extracts could be incorporated into a polymer matrix to obtain a foil with antibacterial and antiviral properties. The initial goal of this work was to obtain active LDPE films containing a mixture of CO₂ extracts of the aforementioned plants, incorporated into an LDPE matrix via an extrusion process. The second aim of this study was to demonstrate the antibacterial properties of the active films against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and to determine the antiviral effect of the modified material on Φ6 bacteriophage. In addition, an analysis was made on the influence of the active mixture on the polymer physicochemical features, e.g., mechanical and thermal properties, as well as its color and transparency. The results of this research indicated that the LDPE film containing a mixture of raspberry, rosemary, and pomegranate CO₂ extracts incorporated into an LDPE matrix inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. This film was also found to be active against Bacillus subtilis. This modified film did not inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas syringae cells; however, their number decreased significantly. The LDPE active film was also found to be active against Φ6 particles, meaning that the film had antiviral properties. The incorporation of the mixture of CO₂ extracts into the polymer matrix affected its mechanical properties. It was observed that parameters describing mechanical properties decreased, although did not affect the transition of LDPE significantly. Additionally, the modified film exhibited barrier properties towards UV radiation. Modified PE/CO₂ extracts films could be applied as a functional food packaging material with antibacterial and antiviral properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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23 pages, 14895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

3D Printed Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum Porous Superalloy with Superior Antiviral Activity

by Arun Arjunan, John Robinson, Ahmad Baroutaji, Alberto Tuñón-Molina, Miguel Martí and Ángel Serrano-Aroca

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 12721; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222312721 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3415

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic and associated supply-chain disruptions emphasise the requirement for antimicrobial materials for on-demand manufacturing. Besides aerosol transmission, SARS-CoV-2 is also propagated through contact with virus-contaminated surfaces. As such, the development of effective biofunctional materials that can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 is critical for pandemic preparedness. Such materials will enable the rational development of antiviral devices with prolonged serviceability, reducing the environmental burden of disposable alternatives. This research reveals the novel use of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) to 3D print porous Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) superalloy with potent antiviral activity (100% viral inactivation in 30 min). The porous material was rationally conceived using a multi-objective surrogate model featuring track thickness (

t_{t}

) and pore diameter (

ϕ_{d}

) as responses. The regression analysis found the most significant parameters for Co-Cr-Mo track formation to be the interaction effects of scanning rate (

V_{s}

) and laser power (

P_{l}

) in the order

P_{l} V_{s} > V_{s} > P_{l}

. Contrastively, the pore diameter was found to be primarily driven by the hatch spacing (

S_{h}

). The study is the first to demonstrate the superior antiviral properties of 3D printed Co-Cr-Mo superalloy against an enveloped virus used as biosafe viral model of SARS-CoV-2. The material significantly outperforms the viral inactivation time of other broadly used antiviral metals such as copper and silver, as the material’s viral inactivation time was from 5 h to 30 min. As such, the study goes beyond the current state-of-the-art in antiviral alloys to provide extra protection to combat the SARS-CoV-2 viral spread. The evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic brings new and unpredictable challenges where on-demand 3D printing of antiviral materials can achieve rapid solutions while reducing the environmental impact of disposable devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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16 pages, 50716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Woven Infection Prevention Fabrics Coated with Biobased Cranberry Extracts Inactivate Enveloped Viruses Such as SARS-CoV-2 and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

by Kazuo Takayama, Alberto Tuñón-Molina, Alba Cano-Vicent, Yukiko Muramoto, Takeshi Noda, José Luis Aparicio-Collado, Roser Sabater i Serra, Miguel Martí and Ángel Serrano-Aroca

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 12719; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222312719 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3554

Abstract

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic is demanding the rapid action of the authorities and scientific community in order to find new antimicrobial solutions that could inactivate the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 that causes this disease. Gram-positive bacteria contribute to severe pneumonia associated with COVID-19, and their resistance to antibiotics is exponentially increasing. In this regard, non-woven fabrics are currently used for the fabrication of infection prevention clothing such as face masks, caps, scrubs, shirts, trousers, disposable gowns, overalls, hoods, aprons and shoe covers as protective tools against viral and bacterial infections. However, these non-woven fabrics are made of materials that do not exhibit intrinsic antimicrobial activity. Thus, we have here developed non-woven fabrics with antimicrobial coatings of cranberry extracts capable of inactivating enveloped viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and the bacteriophage phi 6 (about 99% of viral inactivation in 1 min of viral contact), and two multidrug-resistant bacteria: the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. The morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of the produced filters were characterized by optical and electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The non-toxicity of these advanced technologies was ensured using a Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo model. These results open up a new prevention path using natural and biodegradable compounds for the fabrication of infection prevention clothing in the current COVID-19 pandemic and microbial resistant era. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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Review

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30 pages, 3932 KiB

Open AccessReview

Metallic Structures: Effective Agents to Fight Pathogenic Microorganisms

by Diana Pereira, Tiago Soares Carreira, Nuno Alves, Ângela Sousa and Joana F. A. Valente

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031165 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

The current worldwide pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had alerted the population to the risk that small microorganisms can create for humankind’s wellbeing and survival. All of us have been affected, directly or indirectly, by this situation, and scientists all over the world have been trying to find solutions to fight this virus by killing it or by stop/decrease its spread rate. Numerous kinds of microorganisms have been occasionally created panic in world history, and several solutions have been proposed to stop their spread. Among the most studied antimicrobial solutions, are metals (of different kinds and applied in different formats). In this regard, this review aims to present a recent and comprehensive demonstration of the state-of-the-art in the use of metals, as well as their mechanisms, to fight different pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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34 pages, 14064 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Metal-Based Antimicrobial Coatings for High-Touch Surfaces

by Martin Birkett, Lynn Dover, Cecil Cherian Lukose, Abdul Wasy Zia, Murtaza M. Tambuwala and Ángel Serrano-Aroca

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031162 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 7586

Abstract

International interest in metal-based antimicrobial coatings to control the spread of bacteria, fungi, and viruses via high contact human touch surfaces are growing at an exponential rate. This interest recently reached an all-time high with the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 disease, which has already claimed the lives of more than 5 million people worldwide. This global pandemic has highlighted the major role that antimicrobial coatings can play in controlling the spread of deadly viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and scientists and engineers are now working harder than ever to develop the next generation of antimicrobial materials. This article begins with a review of three discrete microorganism-killing phenomena of contact-killing surfaces, nanoprotrusions, and superhydrophobic surfaces. The antimicrobial properties of metals such as copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and zinc (Zn) are reviewed along with the effects of combining them with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) to create a binary or ternary contact-killing surface coatings. The self-cleaning and bacterial resistance of purely structural superhydrophobic surfaces and the potential of physical surface nanoprotrusions to damage microbial cells are then considered. The article then gives a detailed discussion on recent advances in attempting to combine these individual phenomena to create super-antimicrobial metal-based coatings with binary or ternary killing potential against a broad range of microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, for high-touch surface applications such as hand rails, door plates, and water fittings on public transport and in healthcare, care home and leisure settings as well as personal protective equipment commonly used in hospitals and in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Antimicrobial Materials)

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