Publication Date

2021

Journal or Book Title

Molecules

Abstract

Biofilm infections are a global public health threat, necessitating new treatment strategies. Biofilm formation also contributes to the development and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Biofilm-associated chronic infections typically involve colonization by more than one bacterial species. The co-existence of multiple species of bacteria in biofilms exacerbates therapeutic challenges and can render traditional antibiotics ineffective. Polymeric nanoparticles offer alternative antimicrobial approaches to antibiotics, owing to their tunable physico-chemical properties. Here, we report the efficacy of poly(oxanorborneneimide) (PONI)-based antimicrobial polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) against multi-species bacterial biofilms. PNPs showed good dual-species biofilm penetration profiles as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity was observed, with reduction in both bacterial viability and overall biofilm mass. Further, PNPs displayed minimal fibroblast toxicity and high antimicrobial activity in an in vitro co-culture model comprising fibroblast cells and dual-species biofilms of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study highlights a potential clinical application of the presented polymeric platform.

ORCID

Nabawy, Ahmed/0000-0001-6505-4606

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26164958

Volume

26

Issue

16

License

UMass Amherst Open Access Policy

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Funder

NIHUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA [R01 AI134770]

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