EFFECTS OF GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (GM-CSF) ON BIOMATERIAL-ASSOCIATED STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION IN MICE

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.