Cellulose nanocrystals are effective in inhibiting host cell bacterial adhesionElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: CNC preparation and characterization, cell culture and bacterial adhesion experiments. See DOI: 10.1039/c7tb01923h

The use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as a biomaterial able to inhibit host cell bacterial adhesion is described. Pre-incubation of E. coli ATCC 25922 with a suspension of 0.1% CNCs afforded a significant 2 log reduction of bacterial adhesion to the intestinal cell monolayer HT29. This effect could be attributed to the interaction between the CNCs and the bacterial cell surface as confirmed using fluorescence microscopy experiments. The use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as a biomaterial able to inhibit host cell bacterial adhesion is described. Pre-incubation of E. coli with a suspension of CNCs affords a significant reduction of bacterial adhesion to intestinal cell monolayer HT29, without exerting a bactericidal effect.