Hybrid Antimicrobial Coating Based on Conjugate of Hyaluronic Acid with LL-37 Peptide for PEO-Modified Titanium Implants

Objective: Synthesis of a novel conjugate of hyaluronic acid (HA) and the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and evaluation of its antibacterial activity as an organic coating for titanium implants. Methods: The hybrid molecule HA–LL-37 was prepared by the Michael reaction of HA-SH and the N-maleimide derivative of LL-37. The hybrid compound has been tested as an antimicrobial organic coating for titanium samples with an inorganic sub-layer created by plasma electrolytic oxidization (PEO) of the surface. Results and Discussion: The in vitro studies have demonstrated the antibacterial effect of the hybrid molecule within the inorganic PEO coating, i.e., a significant (p <0.05) suppression of the ability of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecium, and Escherichia coli to form biofilms. Conclusions: The presented approach can be utilized for the subsequent design and development of non-fouling antimicrobial coatings of implants to decrease the risk of bacteria-induced diseases.