B. Rozalska et al., EFFECTS OF GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (GM-CSF) ON BIOMATERIAL-ASSOCIATED STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION IN MICE, Microbiology and immunology, 40(12), 1996, pp. 931-939
Staphylococcal infections are a major complication in the usage of bio
materials. Different modifications of polymers have been made to reduc
e the incidence of such infections. We studied the effects of modifyin
g heparinized polyethylene (H-PE) with mouse recombinant granulocyte-m
acrophage stimulating factor (rGM-CSF), The elimination of staphylococ
ci (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis) from the peritoneum of mice
implanted with rGM-CSF-coated H-PE was slightly more effective than t
he elimination of the bacteria from the peritoneum of animals implante
d with uncoated H-PE. Most interestingly, the number of staphylococci
present in the biofilms covering rGM-CSF-coated implants were signific
antly lower than the number of bacteria detected on the surface of H-P
E not coated with rGM-CSF. In vitro, rGM-CSF restored the anti-bacteri
al potency of the phagocytes, which had been reduced by surface contac
t with H-PE, The results suggest that modification of biomaterials wit
h rGM-CSF could be one way of preventing staphylococcal infections; es
pecially in neutropenic disorders, which constitute the highest risk f
actor for foreign body-associated infections.