Biocompatible fluorinated wrinkled hydrogel films with antimicrobial activity

Surface-modified hydrogel films were designed to control the bacterial colonization on their surface and to promote cell proliferation through the gradual insertion of highly hydrophobic functional monomers. These hydrogel films were deposited via spin-coating technique, using muscovite mica as a substrate. These samples were then exposed to different external stimuli to produce wrinkled patterns. The relationship between the monomers which compose the hydrogel, was varied to alter the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the final composite. Contact angle and confocal Raman spectroscopy measurements were carried out to characterize the surface and the bulk of the hydrogel film. Cell proliferation and antimicrobial tests were performed using premyoblastic murine cells (C2C12-GFP) and RAW 264.7 (ATCC (R) TIB-71) macrophagic cell lines, and also for bacteria strains, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results indicate that the inclusion of the TFPMA produces an increase in cell proliferation, together with a decrease in living bacterial colonies after 48 h, both for Gram-positive or Gram-negative species.