Anti-Biofilm Performance of Resin Nanopillars Inspired from Cicada Wing Surface for Staphylococcus spp.

Abstract

The increase in infections derived from biofilms from Staphylococcal spp. prompted us to develop novel strategies to inhibit biofilm development. Nanoscale protrusion structures (nanopillars) observed on the wings of dragonflies and cicadas have recently gained notable attention owing to their physical, antimicrobial, and bactericidal properties. Thus, they are not only expected to reduce the damage caused by chemical antimicrobial agents to human health and the environment, but also to serve as a potential countermeasure against the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB). In this study, we evaluated the anti-biofilm effects of cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) nanopillars by changing the wettability of surfaces ranging in height from 100 to 500 nm against Staphylococcus spp., such as Staphylococcus aureus NBRC 100910 (MSSA), Staphylococcus aureus JCM 8702 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984. The results clearly show that the fabricated nanopillar structures exhibited particularly strong biofilm inhibition against MRSA, with inhibition rates ranging from 51.2% to 62.5%. For MSSA, anti-biofilm effects were observed only at nanopillar heights of 100–300 nm, with relatively low hydrophobicity, with inhibition rates ranging from 23.9% to 40.8%. Conversely, no significant anti-biofilm effect was observed for S. epidermidis in any of the nanopillar structures. These findings suggest that the anti-biofilm properties of nanopillars vary among bacteria of the same species. In other words, by adjusting the height of the nanopillars, selective anti-biofilm effects against specific bacterial strains can be achieved.