Mechanistic insight into graphene coatings for oral biofilm inhibition and osteoblast compatibility
Chen, Xin ; Zhang, Jian ; Rahimi, Shadi ; Kozjek, Katja LU
; Larsson, Lena
; Mijakovic, Ivan
and Pandit, Santosh
(2026)
In Journal of Materials Chemistry B
- Abstract
- The initial adhesion of bacterial cells to implant surfaces is a critical step in the development of biofilms, complex microbial communities that are highly resistant to conventional antimicrobial treatments. Once established, these biofilms and their self-produced extracellular matrix are difficult to eradicate. As a result, there is growing interest in engineering implant surfaces that can effectively disrupt bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation. Various surface modification strategies, including antimicrobial agents and nanomaterial-based coatings, have been investigated. Among these, graphene-based coatings have shown promising antimicrobial properties. However, mechanisms of their bactericidal activity remain... (More)
- The initial adhesion of bacterial cells to implant surfaces is a critical step in the development of biofilms, complex microbial communities that are highly resistant to conventional antimicrobial treatments. Once established, these biofilms and their self-produced extracellular matrix are difficult to eradicate. As a result, there is growing interest in engineering implant surfaces that can effectively disrupt bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation. Various surface modification strategies, including antimicrobial agents and nanomaterial-based coatings, have been investigated. Among these, graphene-based coatings have shown promising antimicrobial properties. However, mechanisms of their bactericidal activity remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluates the antimicrobial efficacy of vertically aligned graphene (VG) coatings against Streptococcus mutans, employing electron microscopy and transcriptomics analysis to elucidate the mode of action. The findings demonstrate that these coatings inhibit biofilm formation through a multifaceted mechanism: (i) reducing bacterial colonization, (ii) nanoscale protrusions, and (iii) modulating the expression of genes associated with membrane integrity, transport, oxidative stress, and cell division. Importantly, the coatings inhibited bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation without affecting osteoblast growth or proliferation. These results indicate that VG coatings offer a dual benefit by enhancing antimicrobial activity while being compatible for osseointegration, making them promising candidates for next-generation biomedical implants. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/e40e9a7a-2a0a-44d3-a3df-443f9a81cec9
- author
- Chen, Xin
; Zhang, Jian
; Rahimi, Shadi
; Kozjek, Katja
LU
; Larsson, Lena
; Mijakovic, Ivan
and Pandit, Santosh
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-05-26
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- in
- Journal of Materials Chemistry B
- publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- ISSN
- 2050-7518
- DOI
- 10.1039/D6TB00324A
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e40e9a7a-2a0a-44d3-a3df-443f9a81cec9
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-29 14:38:28
- date last changed
- 2026-06-01 07:41:23
@article{e40e9a7a-2a0a-44d3-a3df-443f9a81cec9,
abstract = {{The initial adhesion of bacterial cells to implant surfaces is a critical step in the development of biofilms, complex microbial communities that are highly resistant to conventional antimicrobial treatments. Once established, these biofilms and their self-produced extracellular matrix are difficult to eradicate. As a result, there is growing interest in engineering implant surfaces that can effectively disrupt bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation. Various surface modification strategies, including antimicrobial agents and nanomaterial-based coatings, have been investigated. Among these, graphene-based coatings have shown promising antimicrobial properties. However, mechanisms of their bactericidal activity remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluates the antimicrobial efficacy of vertically aligned graphene (VG) coatings against Streptococcus mutans, employing electron microscopy and transcriptomics analysis to elucidate the mode of action. The findings demonstrate that these coatings inhibit biofilm formation through a multifaceted mechanism: (i) reducing bacterial colonization, (ii) nanoscale protrusions, and (iii) modulating the expression of genes associated with membrane integrity, transport, oxidative stress, and cell division. Importantly, the coatings inhibited bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation without affecting osteoblast growth or proliferation. These results indicate that VG coatings offer a dual benefit by enhancing antimicrobial activity while being compatible for osseointegration, making them promising candidates for next-generation biomedical implants.}},
author = {{Chen, Xin and Zhang, Jian and Rahimi, Shadi and Kozjek, Katja and Larsson, Lena and Mijakovic, Ivan and Pandit, Santosh}},
issn = {{2050-7518}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{05}},
publisher = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
series = {{Journal of Materials Chemistry B}},
title = {{Mechanistic insight into graphene coatings for oral biofilm inhibition and osteoblast compatibility}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D6TB00324A}},
doi = {{10.1039/D6TB00324A}},
year = {{2026}},
}