International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2013, Vol.3, No.6, 31
-
36
http://ijccr.sophiapublisher.com
31
Research Report Open Access
Efficacy of Bioactive Compounds of Sponges to Prevent Biofilm Formation on Medical
Implants
K. Chairman
1
,
K. Elizabath Mathew
2
,
R. Vigila Christy
1
,
C. Padmalatha
2
A.J.A. Ranjit Singh
1
1
Department of Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology, Sri Paramakalyani College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu,
India, 627412
2
M.V.M. Govt. Arts and Science College, Dindugal District, Tamilnadu, India
Corresponding author email:
singhspkcc@gmail.com
International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2013, Vol.3, No.6 doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2013.03.0006
Received: 25 Apr., 2013
Accepted: 10 May, 2013
Published: 12 May, 2013
Copyright: © 2013 Chairman et al., This is an open access ar ticle published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article as:
Chairman et al., 2013, Efficacy of Bioactive Compounds of Sponges to Prevent Biofilm Formation on Medical Implants, International Journal of Clinical Case
Reports, Vol.3, No.6 31-36 (doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2013.03.0006)
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of m icroorganisms that are protected by an extracellular matrix of
biomolecules. In the biofilm state, bacteria are significantly more resistant to external assault, including attack by antibiotics. In t heir
native environment, bacterial biofilms underpin costly biofouling that wreaks havoc on shipping, utilities, and offshore industry. Within a
host environment, they are insensitive to antiseptics and basic host immune responses. It is estimated that up to 80% of all microbial
infections are biofilm-based. Biofilm infections of indwelling medical devices are of particular concern, since once the device is
colonized, infection is almost impossible to eliminate. Importantly, we discuss several sets of compounds derived from marin e sponges
that we are developing in our labs to address the persistent biofilm problem. Marine bioactive compound synthesis of natural products
and their analogues-including our marine sponge-derived compounds and initial adjuv ant activity and toxicological screening o f our
novel anti-biofilm compounds.
Keywords
Biofilms, Antifouling, Marine sponges, 2
-
methoxydecanoic acid, 3
-
hydroxytetradecanoic acid compound
1
Introduction
Biofouling is a costly and destructive natural phenome-
non that affects almost every econom ic sector from
shipping to medicine, causing billions of dollars in
damage and disruptions annually. While biofouling is
typically linked to aquatic invertebrates, it is th e
formation of a biofilm that acts as the glue that binds
these animals to a surface (Callow and Callow, 2000;
2006).
Biofilms can be generated by numerous species
of microorganisms but are primarily the crea tion of
bacterial microcolonies that have attached to a surface
and shielded themselves in an extracellular matrix of
polysaccharide, protein, and nucleic acids (Costerton
et al., 1999). Utilizing this line of d efense, bacteria
have been able to successfully permeate every enviro-
nmental niche, including the human body. According
to the NIH, biofilm-based microbial infectionsmake
up to 80% of all infections in human patients, leading
the CDC to declare biofilms to be one of t he most
important medical hurdles of the century (Musk and Jr
Hergenrother, 2006).
In an effort to find viable sources of anti-biofilm
agents, many researchers have started to extractand
analyze natural products from a myriad of plants and
marine organisms (Koopmans et al., 2009). Many of
these compounds are secondary metabolites that are
generated by the host organism in response to external
pressures, such as competition for space and potential
predators (Wulff, 2006). In a marine environment,
antimicrobial and antifouling metabolites are vital for
many sessile organisms to insure that they do not host
hazardous biofilms on their exposed surfaces, especia-
lly given that an overwhelming majority of t he
planet’s microbial biomass prefers to be in a biofilm
state (Hall-Stoodley et al., 2004). Of all the species
studied, marine sponges (Phylum Porifera) have been
some of the m ost valuable. Sponges have been the
source of more than 30% of marine natural products,
generating a diverse array of molecules that have been
found to have not only antimicrobial capabilities but
also have potential as cancer therapeutics.
Despite their potential, there are very few of these
metabolites and their derivatives that can serve asbio-
film modulators in a non-microbicidal manner (Stowe