Studies on the mechanism of bacteria photosensitization by meso-substituted cationic porphyrins

Evaluation of quantification methods to determine photodynamic action on mono- and dual-species bacterial biofilms

The effect of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) sensitized by 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-N,N,N-trimethylammoniophenyl)porphyrin (TMAP4+) on different components of mono- and dual-species biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was determined by different methods. First, the plate count technique showed that TMAP4+-PDI was more effective on S. aureus than E. coli biofilm. However, crystal violet staining revealed no significant differences between before and after PDI biofilms of both bacteria. On the other hand, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method indicated a reduction in viable cells as the light exposure time increases in both, mono- and dual-species biofilms. Furthermore, it was determined that as the irradiation time increases, the amount of extracellular polymeric substances present in the biofilms decreased. This effect was presented in both strains and in the mixed biofilm, being more evident in S. aureus mono-specie biofilm. Finally, scanning electron microscopy analysis showed a decrease in the number of cells forming the biofilm after photosensitization treatments. This information makes it possible to determine whether the photodynamic action is based on damage to metabolic activity, extracellular matrix and/or biomass, which may be useful in establishing a fully effective PDI protocol for the treatment of microorganisms growing as biofilms.

Photodynamic inactivation of E. coli with cationic imidazolyl-porphyrin photosensitizers and their synergic combination with antimicrobial cinnamaldehyde

Bacterial infections are a global health concern, particularly due to the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) is a considerable challenge, and novel approaches are needed to treat bacterial infections. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of microorganisms is increasingly recognized as an effective method to inactivate a broad spectrum of bacteria and overcome resistance mechanisms. This study presents the synthesis of a new cationic 5,15-di-imidazolyl porphyrin derivative and the impact of n-octanol/water partition coefficient (logP) values of this class of photosensitizers on PDI efficacy of Escherichia coli. The derivative with logP = -0.5, IP-H-OH2+, achieved a remarkable 3 log CFU reduction of E. coli at 100 nM with only 1.36 J/cm2 light dose at 415 nm, twice as effective as the second-best porphyrin IP-H-Me2+, of logP = -1.35. We relate the rapid uptake of IP-H-OH2+ by E. coli to improved PDI and the very low uptake of a fluorinated derivative, IP-H-CF32+, logP ≈ 1, to its poor performance. Combination of PDI with cinnamaldehyde, a major component of the cinnamon plant known to alter bacteria cell membranes, offered synergic inactivation of E. coli (7 log CFU reduction), using 50 nM of IP-H-OH2+ and just 1.36 J/cm2 light dose. The success of combining PDI with this natural compound broadens the scope of therapies for MDR infections that do not add drug resistance. In vivo studies on a mouse model of wound infection showed the potential of cationic 5,15-di-imidazolyl porphyrins to treat clinically relevant infected wounds.

Concanavalin A Delivers a Photoactive Protein to the Bacterial Wall

Modular supramolecular complexes, where different proteins are assembled to gather targeting capability and photofunctional properties within the same structures, are of special interest for bacterial photodynamic inactivation, given their inherent biocompatibility and flexibility. We have recently proposed one such structure, exploiting the tetrameric bacterial protein streptavidin as the main building block, to target S. aureus protein A. To expand the palette of targets, we have linked biotinylated Concanavalin A, a sugar-binding protein, to a methylene blue-labelled streptavidin. By applying a combination of spectroscopy and microscopy, we demonstrate the binding of Concanavalin A to the walls of Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli. Photoinactivation is observed for both bacterial strains in the low micromolar range, although the moderate affinity for the molecular targets and the low singlet oxygen yields limit the overall efficiency. Finally, we apply a maximum entropy method to the analysis of autocorrelation traces, which proves particularly useful when interpreting signals measured for diffusing systems heterogeneous in size, such as fluorescent species bound to bacteria.

TMPyP-mediated photoinactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa improved in the presence of a cationic polymer

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most refractory organisms to antibiotic treatment and appears to be one of the least susceptible to photodynamic treatment. TMPyP is effective in the photoinactivation of P. aeruginosa, and the co-administration with the cationic polymer Eudragit®-E100 (Eu) potentiates this effect against isolates both sensitive and resistant to antibiotics. The fluorescent population (>98%) observed by flow cytometry after exposure to Eu + TMPyP remained unchanged after successive washings, indicating a stronger interaction/internalization of TMPyP in the bacteria, which could be attributed to the rapid neutralization of surface charges. TMPyP and Eu produced depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane, which increased when both cationic compounds were combined. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, heterogeneously distributed fluorescent areas were observed after TMPyP exposure, while homogeneous fluorescence and enhanced intensity were observed with Eu + TMPyP. The polymer caused alterations in the bacterial envelopes that contributed to a deeper and more homogeneous interaction/internalization of TMPyP, leading to a higher probability of damage by cytotoxic ROS and explaining the enhanced result of photodynamic inactivation. Therefore, Eu acts as an adjuvant without being by itself capable of eradicating this pathogen. Moreover, compared with other therapies, this combinatorial strategy with a polymer approved for pharmaceutical applications presents advantages in terms of toxicity risks.

Optimal effective concentration combinations (OPECCs) for binary application of membrane-targeting antiseptics and TMPyP-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

The widespread occurrence of multi-resistant bacteria is a health problem of global dimension. Infections caused by multi-resistant pathogens are difficult to treat and often associated with high mortality. Therefore, new treatment strategies are of interest, such as the use of differently acting antibacterial concepts. One of these new concepts is the use of antiseptics in combination with the antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT). Currently, no method has yet been established as a standard procedure for investigating combined effects and evaluating them in a generally valid and unambiguous manner. The focus of this study was on how cationic antiseptics benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) behave in a combined application with aPDT using the photosensitizer TMPyP. For this purpose, BAC and CHX were applied in combination with the aPDT using TMPyP in non-lethal concentrations to the three bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The results of the combination experiments with sublethal concentrations of BAC or CHX with the aPDT showed that the binary application had a lethal effect. Irrespective of the bacteria, the reduction in concentrations in OPECC, compared to individual concentrations, was more than 50% for TMPyP, 23-40% for BAC, and 18-43% for CHX. Furthermore, the optimal effective concentration combinations (OPECCs) could be determined. The latter showed that the combined application allowed the reduction of both concentrations compared to the single application.

Riboflavin-Vancomycin Conjugate Enables Simultaneous Antibiotic Photo-Release and Photodynamic Killing against Resistant Gram-Positive Pathogens

Decades of antibiotic misuse have led to alarming levels of antimicrobial resistance, and the development of alternative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to delineate and treat infections is a global priority. In particular, the nosocomial, multidrug-resistant "ESKAPE" pathogens such as Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp (VRE) urgently require alternative treatments. Here, we developed light-activated molecules based on the conjugation of the FDA-approved photosensitizer riboflavin to the Gram-positive specific ligand vancomycin to enable targeted antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. The riboflavin-vancomycin conjugate proved to be a potent and versatile antibacterial agent, enabling the rapid, light-mediated, killing of MRSA and VRE with no significant off-target effects. The attachment of riboflavin on vancomycin also led to an increase in antibiotic activity against S. aureus and VRE. Simultaneously, we evidenced for the first time that the flavin subunit undergoes an efficient photoinduced bond cleavage reaction to release vancomycin, thereby acting as a photoremovable protecting group with potential applications in drug delivery.

Synthesis of Metallo-Chromone Porphyrin Nano-Starch Sensitizers as Photodynamic Therapeutics for the Eradication of Enterococci Dental Pathogens

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), as an advanced, alternative, and promising treatment, can inhibit dental pathogens. PDT employs the activation of photosensitizers via the light of a particular wavelength and molecular oxygen to inhibit dental pathogens. Herein, we present a comprehensive study on the synthesis and characterization of three chromone-porphyrins [Zn(II)-5-[4-chromone]-15-(4-phenyl)porphyrin (ZnCP), 5-[4-chromone]-15-(4-12 phenyl)porphyrin (DMCP), and Pd(II)-5-[4-chromone]-15-(4-phenyl)porphyrin (PdCP)]. Next, the computational study was also performed to establish the correlation between photophysical properties and theoretical calculations for those chromone-porphyrins using density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. Furthermore, chromone-porphyrins were encapsulated in starch nanoparticles to develop soluble nano-starch sensitizers (ZnCP-SNPs, DMCP-SNPs, and PdCP-SNPs) via the nanoprecipitation technique. Upon green light exposure, these nano-starch sensitizers exhibited excellent singlet oxygen generation ability. Moreover, final nanoformulations have been explored for pH responsiveness. Based on our intriguing findings, the chromone-porphyrin-loaded nano-starch sensitizers displayed great potential as prospective PDT to treat enterococci dental pathogens.

Photodynamic inactivation of multidrug-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in municipal wastewater by tetracationic porphyrin and violet-blue light: The impact of wastewater constituents

There is an increasing need to discover effective methods for treating municipal wastewater and addressing the threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of bacteria spreading into the environment and drinking water. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) that combines a photosensitiser and light in the presence of oxygen to generate singlet oxygen and other reactive species, which in turn react with a range of biomolecules, including the oxidation of bacterial genetic material, may be a way to stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes. The effect of 5,10,15,20-(pyridinium-3-yl)porphyrin tetrachloride (TMPyP3) without light, and after activation with violet-blue light (VBL) (394 nm; 20 mW/cm2), on MDR strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and K. pneumoniae OXA-48 in tap water and municipal wastewater was investigated. High toxicity (~2 μM) of TMPyP3 was shown in the dark on both strains of K. pneumoniae in tap water, while on P. aeruginosa toxicity in the dark was low (50 μM) and the PDI effect was significant (1.562 μM). However, in wastewater, the toxicity of TMPyP3 without photoactivation was much lower (12.5-100 μM), and the PDI effect was significant for all three bacterial strains, already after 10 min of irradiation with VBL (1.562-6.25 μM). In the same concentrations, or even lower, an anti-adhesion effect was shown, suggesting the possibility of application in biofilm control. By studying the kinetics of photoinactivation, it was found that with 1,562 μM of TMPyP3 it is possible to achieve the complete destruction of all three bacteria after 60 min of irradiation with VBL. This study confirmed the importance of studying the impact of water constituents on the properties and PDI effect of the applied photosensitiser, as well as checking the sensitivity of targeted bacteria to light of a certain wavelength, in conditions as close as possible to those in the intended application, to adjust all parameters and perfect the method.

Antimicrobial activity of photosensitizers: arrangement in bacterial membrane matters

Porphyrins are well-known photosensitizers (PSs) for antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), which is still an underestimated antibiotic-free method to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In the present work, we developed a comprehensive tool for predicting the structure and assessment of the photodynamic efficacy of PS molecules for their application in aPDT. We checked it on a series of water-soluble phosphorus(V) porphyrin molecules with OH or ethoxy axial ligands and phenyl/pyridyl peripheral substituents. First, we used biophysical approaches to show the effect of PSs on membrane structure and their photodynamic activity in the lipid environment. Second, we developed a force field for studying phosphorus(V) porphyrins and performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of their interactions with bacterial lipid membranes. Finally, we obtained the structure-activity relationship for the antimicrobial activity of PSs and tested our predictions on two models of Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii. Our approach allowed us to propose a new PS molecule, whose MIC₅₀ values after an extremely low light dose of 5 J/cm² (5.0 ± 0.4 μg/mL for E. coli and 4.9 ± 0.8 μg/mL for A. baumannii) exceeded those for common antibiotics, making it a prospective antimicrobial agent.

The antibacterial activity of photodynamic agents against multidrug resistant bacteria causing wound infection

Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) of multidrug-resistant (MDR) wound pathogens was evaluated with cationic porphyrin derivatives (CPDs). MDR bacterial strains including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were used. The CPDs named PM, PE, PN, and PL were synthesized as a photosensitizer (PS). A diode laser with a wavelength of 655 nm was used as a light source. aPDI of the combinations formed with different energy densities (50, 100, and 150 J/cm²) and PS concentrations (ranging from 3.125 to 600 µM) were evaluated on each bacterial strain. Dark toxicity, cytotoxicity, and phototoxicity were determined on fibroblast cells. In the aPDI groups, survival reductions of up to 5.80 log₁₀ for E. coli, 5.90 log₁₀ for P. aeruginosa, 6.11 log₁₀ for K. pneumoniae, and 6.78 log₁₀ for A. baumannii were obtained. The cytotoxic effect of PL and PM on fibroblast cells was very limited. PN was the type of CPD with the highest dark toxicity on fibroblast cells. In terms of providing broad-spectrum aPDI without or with very limited cytotoxic effect, the best result was observed in aPDI application with PL. The other CPDs need some modifications to show bacterial selectivity for use at 50 µM and above.

An Update on Photodynamic Therapy of Psoriasis—Current Strategies and Nanotechnology as a Future Perspective

Psoriasis (PS) is an immune-mediated skin disease with substantial negative effects on patient quality of life. Despite significant progress in the development of novel treatment options over the past few decades, a high percentage of patients with psoriasis remain undertreated and require new medications with superior long-term efficacy and safety. One of the most promising treatment options against psoriatic lesions is a form of phototherapy known as photodynamic therapy (PDT), which involves either the systemic or local application of a cell-targeting photosensitizing compound, followed by selective illumination of the lesion with visible light. However, the effectiveness of clinically incorporated photosensitizers in psoriasis treatment is limited, and adverse effects such as pain or burning sensations are frequently reported. In this study, we performed a literature review and attempted to provide a pooled estimate of the efficacy and short-term safety of targeted PDT in the treatment of psoriasis. Despite some encouraging results, PDT remains clinically underutilized. This highlights the need for further studies that will aim to evaluate the efficacy of a wider spectrum of photosensitizers and the potential of nanotechnology in psoriasis treatment.

Application of Fullerenes as Photosensitizers for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation: A Review

Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) is a newly emerged treatment approach that can effectively address the issue of multidrug resistance resulting from the overuse of antibiotics. Fullerenes can be used as promising photosensitizers (PSs) for aPDI due to the advantages of high triplet state yields, good photostability, wide antibacterial spectrum, and permissibility of versatile functionalization. This review introduces the photodynamic activities of fullerenes and the up-to-date understanding of the antibacterial mechanisms of fullerene-based aPDI. The most recent works on the functionalization of fullerenes and the application of fullerene derivatives as PSs for aPDI are also summarized. Finally, certain remaining challenges are emphasized to provide guidance on future research directions for achieving clinical application of fullerene-based aPDI.

Searching for antimicrobial photosensitizers among a panel of BODIPYs

In recent years, antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT) gained increasing attention for its potential to inhibit the growth and spread of microorganisms, both as free-living cells and/or embedded in biofilm communities. In this scenario, compounds belonging to the family of boron-dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) represent a very promising class of photosensitizers for applications in antimicrobial field. In this study, twelve non-ionic and three cationic BODIPYs were assayed for the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. As expected, S. aureus showed to be very sensitive to BODIPYs and mild conditions were sufficient to reach good rates of photoinactivation with both neutral and monocationic ones. Surprisingly, one neutral compound (named B9 in this study) resulted the best BODIPY to photoinactivate P. aeruginosa PAO1. The photoinactivation of C. albicans was reached with both neutral and mono-cationic BODIPYs. Furthermore, biofilms of the three model microorganisms were challenged with BODIPYs in light-based antimicrobial technique. S. aureus biofilms were successfully inhibited with milder conditions than those applied to P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. Notably, it was possible to eradicate 24-h-old biofilms of both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, this study supports the potential of neutral BODIPYs as pan-antimicrobial PSs.

The evolution of clinical guidelines for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy of skin

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy has become an important component in the treatment of human infection. This review considers historical guidelines, and the scientific literature to envisage what future clinical guidelines for treating skin infection might include. Antibiotic resistance, vertical and horizontal infection control strategies and a range of technologies effective in eradicating microbes without building up new resistance are described. The mechanism of action of these treatments and examples of their clinical use are also included. The research recommendations of NICE Guidelines on the dermatological manifestations of microbial infection were also reviewed to identify potential applications for PDT. The resistance of some microbes to antibiotics can be halted, or even reversed through the use of supplementary drugs, and so they are likely to persist as a treatment of infection. Conventional PDT will undoubtedly continue to be used for a range of skin conditions given existing healthcare infrastructure and a large evidence base. Daylight PDT may find broader antimicrobial applications than just Acne and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, and Ambulatory PDT devices could become popular in regions where resources are limited or daylight exposure is not possible or inappropriate. Nanotheranostics were found to be highly relevant, and often include PDT, however, new treatments and novel applications and combinations of existing treatments will be subject to Clinical Trials.

Preliminary Studies of Antimicrobial Activity of New Synthesized Hybrids of 2-Thiohydantoin and 2-Quinolone Derivatives Activated with Blue Light

Thiohydantoin and quinolone derivatives have attracted researchers’ attention because of a broad spectrum of their medical applications. The aim of our research was to synthesize and analyze the antimicrobial properties of novel 2-thiohydantoin and 2-quinolone derivatives. For this purpose, two series of hybrid compounds were synthesized. Both series consisted of 2-thiohydantoin core and 2-quinolone derivative ring, however one of them was enriched with an acetic acid group at N3 atom in 2-thiohydantoin core. Antibacterial properties of these compounds were examined against bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The antimicrobial assay was carried out using a serial dilution method to obtain the MIC. The influence of blue light irradiation on the tested compounds was investigated. The relative yield of singlet oxygen (¹O₂*, ¹Δ_g) generation upon excitation with 420 nm was determined by a comparative method, employing perinaphthenone (PN) as a standard. Antimicrobial properties were also investigated after blue light irradiation of the suspensions of the hybrids and bacteria placed in microtitrate plates. Preliminary results confirmed that some of the hybrid compounds showed bacteriostatic activity to the reference Gram-positive bacterial strains and a few of them were bacteriostatic towards Gram-negative bacteria, as well. Blue light activation enhanced bacteriostatic effect of the tested compounds.

In Vitro Potentiation of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation by Addition of Potassium Iodide

The current increase in antibiotic resistance worldwide and the emergence of microbial strains that are resistant to all known antibiotics have stimulated research into novel strategies such as aPDI that are thought to be unlikely to lead to the development of resistance. Although many studies have reported in vitro aPDI killing of microorganisms by a range of different photosensitizers, there are still limitations to the effectiveness of aPDI, and recurrence of bacterial growth may occur in animal studies after completion of the illumination. In this chapter we cover a novel and relatively simple method to improve the efficacy of aPDI against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative Escherichia coli, and fungal yeast Candida albicans by the addition of potassium iodide, a nontoxic inorganic salt. Under some circumstances up to six-logs additional killing can be obtained.

Photodynamic treatment of pathogens

The current viral pandemic has highlighted the compelling need for effective and versatile treatments, that can be quickly tuned to tackle new threats, and are robust against mutations. Development of such treatments is made even more urgent in view of the decreasing effectiveness of current antibiotics, that makes microbial infections the next emerging global threat. Photodynamic effect is one such method. It relies on physical processes proceeding from excited states of particular organic molecules, called photosensitizers, generated upon absorption of visible or near infrared light. The excited states of these molecules, tailored to undergo efficient intersystem crossing, interact with molecular oxygen and generate short lived reactive oxygen species (ROS), mostly singlet oxygen. These species are highly cytotoxic through non-specific oxidation reactions and constitute the basis of the treatment. In spite of the apparent simplicity of the principle, the method still has to face important challenges. For instance, the short lifetime of ROS means that the photosensitizer must reach the target within a few tens nanometers, which requires proper molecular engineering at the nanoscale level. Photoactive nanostructures thus engineered should ideally comprise a functionality that turns the system into a theranostic means, for instance, through introduction of fluorophores suitable for nanoscopy. We discuss the principles of the method and the current molecular strategies that have been and still are being explored in antimicrobial and antiviral photodynamic treatment.

Factors Determining the Susceptibility of Bacteria to Antibacterial Photodynamic Inactivation

Photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms (aPDI) is an excellent method to destroy antibiotic-resistant microbial isolates. The use of an exogenous photosensitizer or irradiation of microbial cells already equipped with endogenous photosensitizers makes aPDI a convenient tool for treating the infections whenever technical light delivery is possible. Currently, aPDI research carried out on a vast repertoire of depending on the photosensitizer used, the target microorganism, and the light delivery system shows efficacy mostly on in vitro models. The search for mechanisms underlying different responses to photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms is an essential issue in aPDI because one niche (e.g., infection site in a human body) may have bacterial subpopulations that will exhibit different susceptibility. Rapidly growing bacteria are probably more susceptible to aPDI than persister cells. Some subpopulations can produce more antioxidant enzymes or have better performance due to efficient efflux pumps. The ultimate goal was and still is to identify and characterize molecular features that drive the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation. To this end, we examined several genetic and biochemical characteristics, including the presence of individual genetic elements, protein activity, cell membrane content and its physical properties, the localization of the photosensitizer, with the result that some of them are important and others do not appear to play a crucial role in the process of aPDI. In the review, we would like to provide an overview of the factors studied so far in our group and others that contributed to the aPDI process at the cellular level. We want to challenge the question, is there a general pattern of molecular characterization of aPDI effectiveness? Or is it more likely that a photosensitizer-specific pattern of molecular characteristics of aPDI efficacy will occur?

Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacteria with Porphyrin Derivatives: Effect of Charge, Lipophilicity, ROS Generation, and Cellular Uptake on Their Biological Activity In Vitro

Resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics has led to research on various therapeutic strategies with different mechanisms of action, including photodynamic inactivation (PDI). In this work, we evaluated a cationic, neutral, and anionic meso-tetraphenylporphyrin derivative’s ability to inactivate the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in a planktonic suspension under blue light irradiation. The spectroscopic, physicochemical, redox properties, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity by a set of photosensitizers varying in lipophilicity were investigated. The theoretical calculations were performed to explain the distribution of the molecular charges in the evaluated compounds. Moreover, logP partition coefficients, cellular uptake, and phototoxicity of the photosensitizers towards bacteria were determined. The role of a specific microbial efflux pump inhibitor, verapamil hydrochloride, in PDI was also studied. The results showed that E. coli exhibited higher resistance to PDI than S. aureus (3–5 logs) with low light doses (1–10 J/cm²). In turn, the prolongation of irradiation (up to 100 J/cm²) remarkably improved the inactivation of pathogens (up to 7 logs) and revealed the importance of photosensitizer photostability. The PDI potentiation occurs after the addition of KI (more than 3 logs extra killing). Verapamil increased the uptake of photosensitizers (especially in E. coli) due to efflux pump inhibition. This effect suggests that PDI is mediated by ROS, the electrostatic charge interaction, and the efflux of photosensitizers (PSs) regulated by multidrug-resistance (MDR) systems. Thus, MDR inhibition combined with PDI gives opportunities to treat more resistant bacteria.

Design of Photosensitizing Agents for Targeted Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms has gained substantial attention due to its unique mode of action, in which pathogens are unable to generate resistance, and due to the fact that it can be applied in a minimally invasive manner. In photodynamic therapy (PDT), a non-toxic photosensitizer (PS) is activated by a specific wavelength of light and generates highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide (O2-, type-I mechanism) or singlet oxygen (1O2*, type-II mechanism). Although it offers many advantages over conventional treatment methods, ROS-mediated microbial killing is often faced with the issues of accessibility, poor selectivity and off-target damage. Thus, several strategies have been employed to develop target-specific antimicrobial PDT (aPDT). This includes conjugation of known PS building-blocks to either non-specific cationic moieties or target-specific antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides, or combining them with targeting nanomaterials. In this review, we summarise these general strategies and related challenges, and highlight recent developments in targeted aPDT.

Antimicrobial effect of photodynamic therapy on intracanal biofilm: A systematic review of in vitro studies

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (A-PDT), is one of the adjunctive therapies developed to improve the effectiveness of root canal disinfection.. The aim of this study was to analyze the antimicrobial effect of PDT on intracanal biofilm.

METHODS

Two reviewers conducted a literature search in PubMed, MEDLINE, Lilacs, SciELO, EMBASE and Google Scholar using the following search strategy: photochemotherapy "[Mesh] OR (photodynamic therapy) AND" dental plaque "[Mesh] OR (dental biofilm) AND (root canal). The following data were collected: publication year, author's name, study site, type of study, participant number, type of photosensitizer, type of laser, method of data collection, application time and results. Study quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS).

RESULTS

After selection based on title, abstract and full text, 27 studies were included in this systematic review. PDT reduced bacterial viability in most studies when combined with conventional endodontic techniques.

CONCLUSION

PDT reduced bacterial counts in most studies, especially when used as an adjunct to the conventional endodontic technique to treat refractory infection. However, PDT effects on in vitro bacterial biofilm were not accurately quantified because of the numerous biases in the studies reviewed.

Metal center ion effects on photoinactivating rapidly growing mycobacteria using water-soluble tetra-cationic porphyrins

Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are pathogens that belong to the mycobacteriaceae family and responsible for causing mycobacterioses, which are infections of opportunistic nature and with increasing incidence rates in the world population. This work evaluated the use of six water-soluble cationic porphyrins as photosensitizers for the antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) of four RGM strains: Mycolicibacterium fortuitum, Mycolicibacterium smeagmatis, Mycobacteroides abscessus subs. Abscessus, and Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. massiliense. Experiments were conducted with an adequate concentration of photosensitizer under white-light irradiation conditions over 90 min and the results showed that porphyrins 1 and 2 (M = 2H or Zn^II ion) were the most effective and significantly reduced the concentration of viable mycobacteria. The present work shows the result is dependent on the metal-center ion coordinated in the cationic porphyrin core. Moreover, we showed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) the possible membrane photodamage caused by reactive oxygen species and analyzed the morphology and adhesive force properties. Tetra-positively charged and water-soluble metalloporphyrins may be promising antimycobacterial aPDT agents with potential applications in medical clinical cases and bioremediation.

Water-soluble tetra-cationic porphyrins display virucidal activity against Bovine adenovirus and Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1

Porphyrins are photoactive compounds that can absorb the energy of light and transfer it to oxygen molecules, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Once produced, ROS may alter biological molecules and cellular mechanisms, leading to cell apoptosis or inactivation of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro virucidal activity of six tetra-cationic porphyrins against two bovine viruses (Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1, BoHV-1, enveloped; and Bovine adenovirus, BAV, non-enveloped). For this, viral suspensions were incubated with each porphyrin (H₂TMeP, ZnTMeP, and CuTMeP at 4.0 μM, NiTMeP at 5.0 μM, and CoClTMeP and MnClTMeP at 1.0 μM) and exposed to white-light irradiation for 0, 60, 120, and 180 min (BAV) or 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min (BoHV-1). Then, the remaining viral titers were determined by limiting dilution and compared with the control (virus + porphyrins without light exposition). The porphyrins H₂TMeP and ZnTMeP showed the highest virucidal activity against both viruses. ZnTMeP inactivated BoHV-1 after 30 min of photoactivation and H₂TMeP after 60 min. The BAV was photo-inactivated by both porphyrins at 180 min of white-light exposition. CuTMeP, NiTMeP, and CoClTMeP porphyrins had weak virucidal activity against BoHV-1 and MnClTMeP showed no virucidal activity against both viruses. These results indicated that free-base H₂TMeP and ZnTMeP porphyrins present virucidal activity against non-enveloped and enveloped viruses, opening the possibility for their use to inactivate viruses on surfaces, biological substrates, and solutions.

Cationic Porphyrins as Effective Agents in Photodynamic Inactivation of Opportunistic Plumbing Pathogen Legionella pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila is an environmental bacterium, an opportunistic premise plumbing pathogen that causes the Legionnaires’ disease. L. pneumophila presents a serious health hazard in building water systems, due to its high resistance to standard water disinfection methods. Our aim was to study the use of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) against Legionella. We investigated and compared the photobactericidal potential of five cationic dyes. We tested toluidine blue (TBO) and methylene blue (MB), and three 3-N-methylpyridylporphyrins, one tetra-cationic and two tri-cationic, one with a short (CH₃) and the other with a long (C₁₇H₃₅) alkyl chain, against L. pneumophila in tap water and after irradiation with violet light. All tested dyes demonstrated a certain dark toxicity against L. pneumophila; porphyrins with lower minimal effective concentration (MEC) values than TBO and MB. Nanomolar MEC values, significantly lower than with TBO and MB, were obtained with all three porphyrins in PDI experiments, with amphiphilic porphyrin demonstrating the highest PDI activity. All tested dyes showed increasing PDI with longer irradiation (0–108 J/cm²), especially the two hydrophilic porphyrins. All three porphyrins caused significant changes in cell membrane permeability after irradiation and L. pneumophila, co-cultivated with Acanthamoeba castellanii after treatment with all three porphyrins and irradiation, did not recover in amoeba. We believe our results indicate the considerable potential of cationic porphyrins as effective anti-Legionella agents.

Lipid Membrane Adsorption Determines Photodynamic Efficiency of β-Imidazolyl-Substituted Porphyrins

Photosensitizers (PSs) represent a group of molecules capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as singlet oxygen (SO); thus, they are considered to be promising agents for anti-cancer therapy. The enhancement of the photodynamic efficiency of these compounds requires increasing the PS activity in the cancer cell milieu and exactly at the target cells. In the present work, we report the synthesis, lipid membrane binding and photodynamic activity of three novel cationic PSs based on β-imidazolyl-substituted porphyrin and its Zn(II) and In(III) complexes (1H2, 1Zn and 1In). Comparison of the behavior of the investigated porphyrins at the bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) demonstrated the highest adsorption for the 1In complex and the lowest one for 1Zn. The photodynamic efficiency of these porphyrins was evaluated by determining the oxidation rate of the styryl dye, di-4-ANEPPS, incorporated into the lipid membrane. These rates were proportional to the surface density (SD) of the porphyrin molecules at the BLM and were roughly the same for all three porphyrins. This indicates that the adsorption of these porphyrins at the BLM determines their photodynamic efficiency rather than the extinction or quantum yield of singlet oxygen.

Natural Photosensitizers in Constructed Unit Process Wetlands: Photochemical Characterization and Inactivation of Pathogen Indicator Organisms

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a natural photosensitizer that contributes to the inactivation of microbial pathogens. In constructed treatment wetlands with open water areas DOM can promote sunlight disinfection of wastewater effluent, but a better understanding of DOM spectroscopic and photochemical properties and how they are impacted by different unit process wetlands is needed to inform design. The goals of this study were: (1) to investigate whether DOM isolates realistically represent the photochemistry of the source DOM in its original water and (2) to observe how changes of DOM along a treatment wetland affect its photochemistry, including pathogen inactivation. A pilot scale unit process wetland was studied that consisted of three different cells (open water, cattail, and bulrush) fed by secondary wastewater effluent. DOM was isolated using solid-phase extraction (SPE), photochemically characterized, and compared to the original water samples and standard DOMs. For MS2 coliphage, a virus indicator, the most efficient photosensitizer was the wastewater DOM isolated from the influent of the wetland, while for the bacterial indicator Enterococcus faecalis, inactivation results were comparable across wetland isolates. SPE resulted in isolation of 47% to 59% of whole water DOM and enriched for colored DOM. Singlet oxygen precursors were efficiently isolated, while some excited triplet state precursors remained in the extraction discharge. DOM processing indicators such as SUVA₂₅₄, SUVA₂₈₀, and spectral slopes including E₂/ E₃ ratios were reflected in the isolates. Photoinactivation of MS2 was significantly lower in both the reconstituted water samples and isolates compared to the original water sample, possibly due to disturbance of the trans-molecular integrity of DOM molecules by SPE that affects distance between MS2 and DOM sites with locally higher singlet oxygen production. For E. faecalis, results were similar in original water samples and isolates. Higher sorption of DOM to E. faecalis was roughly correlated with higher photoinactivation rates. To enhance sunlight disinfection in unit process wetlands, there is no advantage to placing open water cells after vegetated cells, as passage through the vegetated cells led to increased light absorption and lower singlet oxygen and triplet-state quantum yields and steady state concentrations.

Preliminary evaluation of the positively and negatively charge effects of tetra-substituted porphyrins on photoinactivation of rapidly growing mycobacteria

This manuscript reports, at the first time, the photoinactivation evaluation of tetra-cationic and anionic porphyrins as photosensitizers (PS) for the photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of rapidly growing mycobacteria strains. Two different charged porphyrin groups were obtained commercially. PDI experiments in the strains Mycobacterium massiliense e Mycobacterium fortuitum conducted with adequate concentration (without aggregation) of photosensitizer under white light at a fluence rate of 50 mW/cm² over 90 min showed that the most effective PS caused a 100 times reduction in the concentration of viable mycobacteria. The present results show that porphyrin with positively charge are more efficient PS than anionic porphyrin (negatively charged) against M. massiliense e M. fortuitum. It is also clear that the effectiveness of the molecule as PS for PDI studies with mycobacteria is strongly related with the porphyrin peripheral charge, and consequently their solubility in physiological media. Cationic PSs might be promising anti-mycobacteria PDI agents with potential applications in medical clinical cases and bioremediation.

Porphyrinoid photosensitizers mediated photodynamic inactivation against bacteria

The multi-drug resistant bacteria have become a serious problem complicating therapies to such a degree that often the term "post-antibiotic era" is applied to describe the situation. The infections with methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, third generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli, third generation cephalosporin-resistant K. pneumoniae and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa have become commonplace. Thus, the new strategies of infection treatment have been searched for, and one of the approaches is based on photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy. Photodynamic protocols require the interaction of photosensitizer, molecular oxygen and light. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy by porphyrinoid photosensitizers. In the first part of the review information on the mechanism of photodynamic action and the mechanism of the bacteria resistance to the photodynamic technique were described. In the second one, it was described porphyrinoids photosensitizers like: porphyrins, chlorins and phthalocyanines useable in photodynamic bacteria inactivation.

Photosensitizers in antibacterial photodynamic therapy: an overview

Antibacterial Photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a process utilizing light and light sensitive agents (named photosensitizer (PS)) and is usually applied in an oxygen-rich environment. The energy of the photons is absorbed by the photosensitizer and subsequently transferred to surrounding molecules. Consequently, reactive oxygen species and free radicals are formed. These oxidative molecules can damage bacterial macromolecules such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids and may result in bacterial killing. Unlike antibiotics, APDT as a novel technique does not lead to the selection of mutant resistant strains, hence it has appealed to researchers in this field. The type of PS used in APDT is a major determinant regarding outcome. In this review, various types of PS that are used in antimicrobial Photodynamic therapy will be discussed. PSs are classified based on their chemical structure and origin. Synthetic dyes such as methylene blue and toluidine blue are the most commonly used photosensitizers in Antibacterial Photodynamic therapy (APDT). Other photosensitizers including natural PSs (e.g. curcumin and hypericin) and tetra-pyrrole structures like phthalocyanines and porphyrins have also been studied. Furthermore, nanostructures and their probable contribution to APDT will be discussed.

Antimicrobial and Antitumor Photodynamic Effects of Phleichrome from the Phytopathogenic Fungus Cladosporium Phlei

Fungal perylenequinones have photodynamic activity and are promising photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Here, we investigated the bactericidal and antitumor activities of phleichrome from the fungal perylenequinone family in vitro. Photodynamic bactericidal activity of phleichrome was analyzed by agar-well diffusion method under dark and illuminated conditions. The photodynamic antitumor activity of phleichrome was analyzed in MCF-7, HeLa, SW480, and HepG2 human cancer cell lines using in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Photodynamic bactericidal activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were species-specific. Antitumor activity against all tumor cell lines increased under the illuminated condition. Depending on the results of the analyses, Phleichrome has potential for further drug development related to its antibacterial and antitumor activities.

Photo-induced antibacterial activity of a porphyrin derivative isolated from the harmful dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama

The dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama is highly toxic to bivalves. However, significant toxicity to finfish species has not been reported. We previously found that H. circularisquama has light-dependent haemolytic agents. Purification and chemical structural analyses revealed that the haemolytic agent H2-a is a porphyrin derivative, which exhibits light-dependent cytotoxicity toward tumour cells. To clarify the biological activity of H2-a further, its antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were investigated in this study. A fraction (F5) equivalent to H2-a purified from the methanol extract of H. circularisquama showed potent light-dependent bactericidal activity toward Staphylococcus aureus, and the activity was concentration- and light illumination time-dependent; however, Escherichia coli was highly resistant to F5. Electron microscopic observation suggested that F5 induces morphological changes in S. aureus in a light-dependent manner. Further analysis using other bacterial species showed that the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis was more sensitive than the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio alginolyticus. These results indicate that F5 is a photo-induced antibacterial agent with relatively higher specificity to Gram-positive bacteria. Iodometric assay suggested that singlet oxygen was generated from light-illuminated F5. Histidine, a specific singlet oxygen scavenger, markedly inhibited the photosensitising antibacterial activity of F5 against S. aureus, suggesting the involvement of singlet oxygen in antibacterial activity. The antibacterial spectrum of F5 was evidently different from that of 5,10,15,20-tetra (N,N,N-trimethylanilinium) porphyrin tetratosylate, a commercially available porphyrin compound with antibacterial activity. Our results demonstrate that H. circularisquama has a novel antibacterial photosensitiser, a porphyrin derivative, with relatively higher specificity to Gram-positive bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to discover a porphyrin derivative with antibacterial activity in marine microalga.

An efficient formulation based on cationic porphyrins to photoinactivate Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

AIM

Antibiotic resistance is an increasingly serious worldwide problem that needs to be addressed with alternative tools. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy seems a promising approach but in some cases the synthesis of highly efficient photosensitizers requires laborious processes burdened by extensive chromatographic purifications. In this study, we evaluate the suitability of a formulation (Form-1) containing porphyrins bearing different charges, obtained during the synthesis of the highly efficient photosensitizer 5,10,15-tris(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)-20-(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin tri-iodide.

RESULTS

Form-1 was equally effective in the photoinactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (reductions >5 log) as the best stand-alone photosensitizer.

CONCLUSION

The effective reduction of bacteria with Form-1 provided promising indications supporting its use, leading to a substantial decrease in costs and production time.

Comparative study of binding interactions between porphyrin systems and aromatic compounds of biological importance by multiple spectroscopic techniques: A review

The specific spectroscopic and redox properties of porphyrins predestine them to fulfill the role of sensors during interacting with different biologically active substances. Monitoring of binding interactions in the systems porphyrin-biologically active compound is a key question not only in the field of physiological functions of living organisms, but also in environmental protection, notably in the light of the rapidly growing drug consumption and concurrently the production of drug effluents. Not always beneficial action of drugs on natural porphyrin systems induces to further studies, with commercially available porphyrins as the model systems. Therefore the binding process between several water-soluble porphyrins and a series of biologically active compounds (e.g. caffeine, guanine, theophylline, theobromine, xanthine, uric acid) has been studied in different aqueous solutions analyzing their absorption and steady-state fluorescence spectra, the porphyrin fluorescence lifetimes and their quantum yields. The magnitude of the binding and fluorescence quenching constants values for particular quenchers decreases in a series: uric acid > guanine > caffeine > theophylline > theobromine > xanthine. In all the systems studied there are characters of static quenching, as a consequence of the π-π-stacked non-covalent and non-fluorescent complexes formation between porphyrins and interacting compounds, accompanied simultaneously by the additional specific binding interactions. The porphyrin fluorescence quenching can be explain by the photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer from aromatic compound to the center of the porphyrin molecule, playing the role of the binding site. Presented results can be valuable for designing of new fluorescent porphyrin chemosensors or monitoring of drug traces in aqueous solutions. The obtained outcomes have also the toxicological and medical importance, providing insight into the interactions of the water-soluble porphyrins with biologically active substances.

Enhanced sterilization and healing of cutaneous pseudomonas infection using 5-aminolevulinic acid as a photosensitizer with 410-nm LED light

BACKGROUND

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) frequently develops antibiotic-resistant characteristics, which is clinically problematic. The main reason behind the rise of antibiotic-resistant PA is the extensive use of antibiotics. Therefore, a novel technique is needed to treat PA infections. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is thought to have the potential to be a non-antibiotic treatment for infections. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), which works as a photosensitizer after being metabolized into protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in the heme synthetic pathway, is used for PDT. Thus far, the in vivo effectiveness of PDT using ALA against PA is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we investigated PDT using ALA both in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Although PDT with ALA alone did not show a bactericidal effect on PA, PDT with both ALA and EDTA-2Na had a bactericidal effect in vitro. In in vivo experiments, wounds healed faster in PA-infected mice treated with PDT using both EDTA-2Na and ALA compared to non-PDT.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that PDT with EDTA-2Na and ALA is a potential novel treatment option for PA-infected wounds.

Progressive cationic functionalization of chlorin derivatives for antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation and related vancomycin conjugates

It is known that multiple cationic charges are required to produce broad-spectrum antimicrobial photosensitizers (PS) for photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) or photodynamic therapy of bacteria and fungi. In the present study we describe the synthesis and aPDI testing of a set of derivatives prepared from the parent pheophytin molecule with different numbers of attached side arms (1-3) each consisting of five quaternized cationic groups (pentacationic), producing the corresponding [Zn2+]pheophorbide-a-N(C2N+C1C3)5 (Zn-Phe-N5+, 5 charges), [Zn2+]chlorin e6-[N(C2N+C1C3)5]2 (Zn-Chl-N10+, 10 charges) and [Zn2+]mesochlorin e6-[N(C2N+C1C3)5]3 (Zn-mChl-N15+, 15 charges). Moreover, a conjugate between Zn-Phe-N5+ and the antibiotic vancomycin called Van-[Zn2+]-m-pheophorbide-N(C2N+C1C3)5 (Van-Zn-mPhe-N5+) was also prepared. The aPDI activities of all compounds were based on Type-II photochemistry (1O2 generation). We tested these compounds against Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Gram-negative Escherichia coli, and the fungal yeast Candida albicans. All three compounds were highly active against MRSA, giving eradication (≥6 logs of killing) with <1.0 μM and 10 J cm-2 of 415 nm light. The order of activity was Zn-Phe-N5+ > Zn-Chl-N10+ > Zn-mChl-N15+. In the case of E coli the activity was much lower (eradication was only possible with 50 μM Zn-mChl-N15+ and 20 J cm-2). The order of activity was the reverse of that found with MRSA (Zn-mChl-N15+ > Zn-Chl-N10+ > Zn-Phe-N5+). Activity against C. albicans was similar to E. coli with Zn-mChl-N15+ giving eradication. The activity of Van-Zn-mPhe-N5+ was generally lower than that of Zn-Phe-N5+ (except for E. coli). Red (660 nm) light was also effective as might be expected from the absorption spectra. An initial finding that Van-Zn-mPhe-N5+ might have higher activity against vancomycin resistant Enterococcus fecium (VRE) strains (compared to vancomycin sensitive strains) was disproved when it was found that VRE strains were also more sensitive to aPDI with Zn-Phe-N5+. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of Van-Zn-mPhe-N5+ were higher than those of Van alone, showing that the antibiotic properties of the Van moiety were lessened in the conjugate. In conclusion, Zn-Phe-N5+ is a highly active PS against Gram-positive species and deserves further testing. Increasing the number of cationic charges increased aPDI efficacy on C. albicans and Gram-negative E. coli.

Effectiveness of erythrosine-mediated photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy on dental plaque aerobic microorganisms: A randomized controlled trial

Background:

Dental plaque is one of the predominant causes of major oral diseases. Although mechanical and chemical methods are extensively followed to control the development of plaque, plaque-related diseases still persist. Therefore, this necessitates for alternative measures of plaque control, one such alternative is photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT).

Materials and Methods:

Split mouth randomized clinical trial (CTRI/2017/03/008239) was conducted on 30 participants who reported to the hospital. Participants were asked to rinse their mouth for 1 min using 10 ml of 25 μM erythrosine solutions. Same tooth on both quadrants of the same jaw are selected as the test and control. Intervention used was halogen-based composite curing light with wavelength of 500–590 nm. Plaque sample from the control tooth and test tooth was collected before and after exposure, respectively, and sent to microbiological laboratory for colony count.

Results:

Logarithmic mean and standard deviation of control group with 10² dilutions of aerobic microbial count were found to be 5.34 ± 0.94, and for experimental group, it was 4.47 ± 1.37. The statistical difference between mean CFU values between aerobic bacterial counts was significant (P = 0.006).

Conclusions:

Erythrosine-mediated PACT reduces the extent of dental plaque microbial count and has a potential preventive and therapeutic use in day-to-day life and dental clinics.

Antimicrobial properties of a new type of photosensitizer derived from phthalocyanine against planktonic and biofilm forms of Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND

Bacterial infection is a common clinical problem. Community-associated Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections can cause extensive tissue damage and necrosis. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) has recently attracted attention as a feasible bacterial therapy. Octa-cationic zinc phthalocyanines are newly identified photosensitizers derived from phthalocyanines bearing 1, 2-ethanediamine groups and quaternized derivatives with different numbers of positive charges (ZnPcⁿ⁺, n = 4 or 8). Here we report the antimicrobial effects of ZnPcⁿ⁺-mediated PACT on planktonic and biofilm cultures of S. aureus.

METHODS

ZnPcⁿ⁺ uptake was detected by photometry after alkaline lysis. Dark-toxicity and light-mediated antimicrobial effects of the drug was determined by the plate count method. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by flow cytometry. SYTO 9 and propidium iodide (PI) were used to detect the bacterial cell membrane permeability. DNA damage after ZnPcⁿ⁺-PACT was analyzed by flow cytometry and PI staining. The destruction of biofilm was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

RESULTS

The study of uptake showed that the relative fluorescence intensity of ZnPcⁿ⁺ in S. aureus peaked at 15 min. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by ZnPcⁿ⁺ was enhanced in PACT treatment groups. SYTO 9 and PI staining indicated that cell membrane was damaged. Flow cytometry and PI staining revealed DNA damage. Biofilms were damaged in PACT treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that light-activated ZnPcⁿ⁺ can efficiently inhibit planktonic and biofilm cultures of S. aureus.

Photodynamic properties of aza-analogues of phthalocyanines

Spectral and photophysical properties and in vitro photodynamic activity of aza-analogues of phthalocyanines are summarized.

Inhibition of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria by a Photoactivated Porphyrin

The authors studied the in vitro antibacterial activity of the photo-activated porphyrin meso-tri(N-methyl-pyridyl), mono(N-tetradecyl-pyridyl)porphine (C14) against four multidrug-resistant bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis (Gram-positive), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative). Using 10 μg/ml of porphyrin and 60 sec irradiation we observed the remarkable susceptibility of S. aureus and E. faecalis to treatment while, under the same conditions, E. coli and P. aeruginosa showed very low susceptibility. In a later stage, suspensions of Gram-negative bacteria were processed with EDTA before photo-activation, obtaining a significant decrease in viable counts. In view of the results, if the combination of low porphyrin concentrations and short irradiation times will be effective in vivo also, this approach could be a possible alternative to antibiotics, in particular against localized infections due to multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-Porphyrin conjugate for visible light mediated inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus

Due to the excessive use of antibiotics over the years, the microorganisms have developed resistance to numerous drugs. The growth of multi-resistant organisms (MROs) heads due to the insufficient treatment with the currently available medications which present a great threat to the biotic component of the environment as well as to the food technology sectors. The goal of this research was to develop a nano-composite made up of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and amine-functionalized porphyrin, which could further be used for the anti-microbial studies in presence of visible light showing photodynamic effect to inactivate cells. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy is gaining significant interest due to its capabilities as an innovative form of antimicrobial treatment. The development of anti-microbial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) is a non-antibiotic access to inactivate microorganisms. We examined the synthesis of amine-functionalized porphyrin and conjugated it to the oxidised single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). By the use of appropriate amount of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), we have shown the interaction between the porphyrin conjugated nanotubes and the bacterial cells in presence of visible light led to the cell membrane damage, concluding that SWCNT-porphyrin conjugates can be used as an antibacterial agent. The characterization of the oxidised SWCNT and SWCNT-porphyrin conjugates was determined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), which provides detailed information about the composition and the morphological analysis. The particle size measurements were carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). On investigating under the florescence microscopy, red fluorescence was observed. Thus, these properties demand us to design this facile material comprised of SWCNT-aminoporphyrin conjugates that shows potent antibacterial activity.

Photodynamic inactivation of Escherichia coli - Correlation of singlet oxygen kinetics and phototoxicity

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of bacteria may play a major role in facing the challenge of the ever expanding antibiotic resistances. Here we report about the direct correlation of singlet oxygen luminescence kinetics and phototoxicity in E. coli cell suspension under PDI using the widely applied cationic photosensitizer TMPyP. Through direct access to the microenvironment, the time resolved investigation of singlet oxygen luminescence plays a key role in understanding the photosensitization mechanism and inactivation pathway. Using the homemade set-up for highly sensitive time resolved singlet oxygen luminescence detection, we show that the cationic TMPyP is localized predominantly outside the bacterial cells but in their immediate vicinity prior to photodynamic inactivation. Throughout following light exposure, a clear change in singlet oxygen kinetics indicates a redistribution of photosensitizer molecules to at least one additional microenvironment. We found the signal kinetics mirrored in cell viability measurements of equally treated samples from same overnight cultures conducted in parallel: A significant drop in cell viability of the illuminated samples and stationary viability of dark controls. Thus, for the system investigated in this work - a Gram-negative model bacteria and a well-known PS for its PDI - singlet oxygen kinetics correlates with phototoxicity. This finding suggests that it is well possible to evaluate PDI efficiency directly via time resolved singlet oxygen detection.

Water-soluble benzylidene cyclopentanone based photosensitizers for in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been proposed to cope with the increasing antibiotic resistance among pathogens. As versatile pharmacophores, benzylidene cyclopentanone based photosensitizers (PSs) have been used in various bioactive materials. However, their reports as aPDT agents are very limited, and relationships between their chemical structures and antibacterial abilities have not been systematically discussed. Here, nine water-soluble benzylidene cyclopentanone PSs modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG), carboxylate anionic or pyridyl cationic agents are studied for aPDT. It is found that the binding/uptake abilities and aPDT effects of these PSs toward bacterial cells vary significantly when adjusting the number and position of their terminal charged groups. Though the comparable (also best) binding/uptake amounts are achieved by both cationic PS P3 and anionic PS Y1, only Y1 exhibits much more excellent aPDT activities than other PSs. Antibacterial mechanisms reveal that, relative to the favorable cell wall-binding of cationic PS P3, the anionic PS Y1 can accumulate more in the spheroplast/protoplast of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which ensures its high efficient aPDT abilities both in vitro and in vivo. This study suggests the great clinical application potential of Y1 in inactivation of MRSA.