Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of silver nanoparticle geometry on methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and osteoblast viability

  • Biocompatibility Studies
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Orthopedic implant failure as a result of bacterial infection affects approximately 0.5–5 % of patients. These infections are often caused by Staphylococcus aureus which is capable of attaching and subsequently forming a biofilm on the implant surface, making it difficult to eradicate with systemic antibiotics. Further, with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, alternative treatments are necessary. Silver nanoparticles have received much attention for their broad spectrum antibacterial activity which has been reported to be both size and shape dependent. The purpose of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of three different geometries on their effect on microbial susceptibility as well as evaluate their effect on bone cell viability. Silver nanoparticles of spherical, triangular and cuboid shapes were synthesized by chemical reduction methods. The susceptibility of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus was evaluated a 24 h period and determined using a colorimetric assay. Further, the viability of human fetal osteoblast (hFOB) cells in the presence of the silver nanoparticles was evaluated over a period of 7 days by AlmarBlue fluorescence assay. hFOB morphology was also evaluated by light microscopy imaging. Results indicated that silver nanoparticle geometry did not have an effect on microbiota susceptibility or hFOB viability. However, high concentrations of silver nanoparticles (0.5 nM) conferred significant susceptibility towards the bacteria and significantly reduced hFOB viability. It was also found that the hFOBs exhibited an increasingly reduced viability to lower silver nanoparticle concentrations with an increase in exposure time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Campoccia D, Montanaro L, Arciola CR. A review of the clinical implications of anti-infective biomaterials and infection-resistant surfaces. Biomaterials. 2013;34:8018–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Evan M, Hetrick MHS. Reducing implant-related infections: active release strategies. Chem Soc Rev. 2006;35:780–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Romeo T, editor. Bacterial biofilms. Current topics in microbiology and immunology, vol. 322. Berlin: Springer; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Trampuz A, Widmer AF. Infections associated with orthopedic implants. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2006;19:349–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Flemming H-C. Biofilm highlights. Springer Series on Biofilms. New York: Springer; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kawata K, Osawa M, Okabe S. In vitro toxicity of silver nanoparticles at noncytotoxic doses to HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Environ Sci Technol. 2009;43(15):6046–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Zimmerli W. Prosthetic-join-associated infections. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2006;20(6):1045–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ribeiro M, Monteiro FJ, Ferraz MP. Infection of orthopedic implants with emphasis on bacterial adhesion process and techniques used in studying bacterial-material interactions. Biomatter. 2012;2(4):176–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Leid JG, Leid J, Shirtliff M, editors. The role of biofilm in device-related infections. Springer Series on Biofilms. Los Angeles: Springer; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Vasilev K, Cook J, Griesser HJ. Antibacterial surfaces for biomedical devices. Exp Rev Med Devices. 2009;6(5):553–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lara HH, Garza-Treviño EN, Ixtepan-Turrent L, Singh DK. Silver nanoparticles are broad-spectrum bactericidal and virucidal compounds. J Nanobiotechnol. 2011;9(1):30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Tran QH, Le AT. Silver nanoparticles: synthesis, properties, toxicology, applications and perspectives. Adv Nat Sci Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2013;4:033001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dal Lago V, de Oliveira LF, de Almeida Gonçalves K, Kobarg J, Cardoso MB. Size-selective silver nanoparticles: future of biomedical devices with enhanced bactericidal properties. J Mater Chem. 2011;21(33):12267–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Marambio-Jones C, Hoek EM. A review of the antibacterial effects of silver nanomaterials and potential implications for human health and the environment. J Nanopart Res. 2010;12:1531–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Pal S, Tak YK, Song JM. Does the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles depend on the shape of the nanoparticle? A study of the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007;73(6):1712–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Metraux GS, Mirkin CA. Rapid thermal synthesis of silver nanoprisms with chemically tailorable thickness. Adv Mater. 2005;17(4):412–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sun Y, Xia Y. Shape-controlled synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles. Science. 2002;298:2176–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yguerabide J, Yguerabide EE. Light-scattering submicroscopic particles as highly fluorescent analogs and their use as tracer labels in clinical and biological applications. Anal Biochem. 1998;262:137–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Chen Z, Gao L. A facile and novel way for the synthesis of nearly monodisperse silver nanoparticles. Mater Res Bull. 2007;42:1657–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mansouri SS, Ghader S. Experimental study of effect of different parameters on size and shape of triangular silver nanoparticles prepared by a simple and rapid method in aqueous solution. Arab J Chem. 2009;2:47–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Chen S, Carroll DL. Silver nanoplates: size control in two dimensions and formulation mechanism. J Phys Chem B. 2004;108:5500–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Skrabalak SE, Au L, Li X, Xia Y. Facile synthesis of Ag nanocubes and Au nanocages. Nat Protoc. 2007;2(9):2182–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Mdluli PS, Sosibo NM, Mashazi PN, Nyokong T, Tshikhudo RT, Skepu A, Van Der Lingen E. Selective adsorption of PVP on the surface of silver nanoparticles: a molecular dynamics study. J Mol Struct. 2011;1004:131–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kvitek L, Panáček A, Soukupova J, Kolar M, Vecerova R, Prucek R, et al. Effect of surfactants and polymers on stability and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (NPs). J Phys Chem C. 2008;112:5825–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Pauksch L, Hartmann S, Rohnke M, Szalay G, Alt V, Schnettler R, Lips KS. Biocompatibility of silver nanoparticles and silver ions in primary human mesenchymal stem cells and osteoblasts. Acta Biomater. 2014;10:439–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Tautzenberger A, Kovtun A, Ignatius A. Nanoparticles and their potential application in bone. Int J Nanomed. 2012;7:4545–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Lisa Actis, Anand Srinivasan, Anand K. Ramasubramanian & Joo L. Ong

  2. Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Jose L. Lopez-Ribot

Authors
  1. Lisa Actis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anand Srinivasan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jose L. Lopez-Ribot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anand K. Ramasubramanian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Joo L. Ong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa Actis.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Actis, L., Srinivasan, A., Lopez-Ribot, J.L. et al. Effect of silver nanoparticle geometry on methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and osteoblast viability. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 26, 215 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5538-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5538-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation