Arginine-Conjugated Bioinspired Polydopamine Surface for the Enhanced Antibacterial and Antifouling Performance of Surgical Sutures

Sutures play a crucial role in tissue repair and wound healing, however, the formation of bacterial biofilms on their surfaces can lead to surgical site infections. This bacterial accumulation compromises their effectiveness and reduces biocidal activity. Zwitterionic amino acid coatings offer promising antibacterial and antifouling surfaces that prevent bacterial adhesion and proliferation. This study explores a novel coating by covalently grafting zwitterionic amino acid onto a self-polymerized dopamine-coated surface. The coatings were initially developed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film surfaces and later applied to surgical sutures. Dopamine was polymerized on the pristine PET film surface, followed by the grafting of arginine (Arg) onto polydopamine (PDA) through a Michael addition/Schiff base reaction. Compared to the pristine PET and PDA-coated PET film (PDA–PET) films, Arg–PDA-coated film (Arg–PDA–PET) surfaces exhibited strong antibacterial and antifouling efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus, while maintaining the biocompatibility of normal and cancer cells. When applied to surgical sutures, the coating significantly decreased bacterial adhesion, showing good antifouling activity. These findings highlight an innovative approach to combat biofouling and improve the performance of medical implants.