Date of Graduation

Spring 2025

Degree

Master of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Committee Chair

Joshua Smith

Abstract

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring compound in neutrophils, has been used as an antimicrobial in wound treatment. Osteoblasts, bone-forming cells, within the bone tissue play a large role in bone fracture healing. Orthopedic infections are challenging to treat and highly morbid, including surgical site infection of arthroplasty procedures or infection in the setting of compound fractures. HOCl is being considered as a surgical antiseptic to decrease infections in orthopedic surgical procedures. This study therefore seeks to determine the effects of HOCl on osteoblasts and E. coli. Cultured osteoblasts were incubated with varying concentrations of HOCl to examine osteoblast survivability. Upon examining osteoblasts in the presence of varying concentrations of HOCl, it was determined that survivability is not affected at 10 ppm and was 51% at 50 ppm HOCl. The most common pathogens associated with osteomyelitis (bone infection) following compound fracture are Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. To examine antimicrobial effects of HOCl, this work looked at the ability of 5 and 50 ppm HOCl to inhibit growth of E. coli. Bacterial cultures were exposed to HOCl for 5 or 15 minutes, plated on nutrient agar (NA) or Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB) agar, incubated 24-48 hours, and then colony forming units were used to determine percent kill. E. coli was killed to over 99% with 50 ppm HOCl, while ddH2O showed a better ability to kill E. coli than HEPES solution in the 5 ppm HOCl concentration. A growing body of research shows that HOCl is a safe and effective antiseptic in various medical settings. This study suggests HOCl may have a role in orthopedic surgical procedures.

Keywords

hypochlorous acid, osteoblast, osteogenesis, osteocytes, osteoclast, E. coli.

Subject Categories

Medical Cell Biology | Medical Microbiology | Medical Molecular Biology

Copyright

© Cristina Flaquer Fusté

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