Antibacterial properties of nitric oxide-releasing sol-gels.

The antibacterial characteristics of nitric oxide (NO)-releasing sol-gel coatings are described. The NO release from these surfaces is steady over short periods (approximately 1 h) and measurable over several days. The ability of NO to prevent bacterial adhesion is evaluated by exposing controls and NO-releasing sol-gels to approximately 10(8) colony-forming units (cfu)/mL saline suspensions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion to sol-gel controls varies depending on the sol-gel formulation. Sol-gel surfaces capable of NO release decrease bacterial adhesion by 30% to 95% relative to controls. The contact angle measurements of control and NO-releasing surfaces are similar, supporting NO's action as an antibacterial agent against bacterial adhesion. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1276-1283, 2003