Evaluation of the Anti-Bacterial Activity of a Novel Chelate-Setting Apatite Cement Containing Lactoferrin

We have developed a chelate-setting apatite cement. Synthesized hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders surface-modified with inositol hexaphosphate (IP6-HAp powder) were set by chelate-bonding with inositol hexaphosphate (IP6). Our aim is to fabricate IP6-HAp cement with anti-bacterial activity by adding lactoferrin (LF). It is known that LF has both anti-bacterial and osteoinductive activity. Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli were used to examine the effect of LF on biofilm formation and localization of living and dead cells. In addition, the cell viability of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells was determined. Our results show that the anti-bacterial activity of LF is not due to a bactericidal effect but to the inhibition of bacterial adhesion to surfaces. Furthermore, LF cement did not affect cell proliferation. Thus, LF cement is a candidate for bifunctional biomaterials having both anti-bacterial and osteo-conductive activity.