Nanomaterials Aiming to Tackle Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

PBAT/lignin-ZnO composite film for food packaging: Photo-stability, better barrier and antibacterial properties

When PBAT used as film, stability deteriorates under sunlight exposure, the poor barrier and antibacterial properties are also limiting its application. In this work, lignin-ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method, as additives to fill the PBAT matrix. In addition, PBAT-lignin-ZnO composite films were successfully prepared by melting and hot-pressing method. It is found that lignin could well dispersed the ZnO when its implantation into PBAT films, and lignin-ZnO not only maintaining tensile strength and thermal stability, but also could prompt PBAT's crystallinity. Especially, P-L-ZnO-2 composite films have good photostability. After 60 h aging, it can still maintain good molecular weight, chemical structure and mechanical properties. Besides, these composite films have improved hydrophobicity, barrier and antibacterial properties, could prevent mildew and significantly reduce the weight loss rate, color difference and hardness changes of strawberries during storage. This work provides a potential film material for outdoor applications and food packaging.

Applications of peptides in nanosystems for diagnosing and managing bacterial sepsis

Sepsis represents a critical medical condition stemming from an imbalanced host immune response to infections, which is linked to a significant burden of disease. Despite substantial efforts in laboratory and clinical research, sepsis remains a prominent contributor to mortality worldwide. Nanotechnology presents innovative opportunities for the advancement of sepsis diagnosis and treatment. Due to their unique properties, including diversity, ease of synthesis, biocompatibility, high specificity, and excellent pharmacological efficacy, peptides hold great potential as part of nanotechnology approaches against sepsis. Herein, we present a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the applications of peptides in nanosystems for combating sepsis, with the potential to expedite diagnosis and enhance management outcomes. Firstly, sepsis pathophysiology, antisepsis drug targets, current modalities in management and diagnosis with their limitations, and the potential of peptides to advance the diagnosis and management of sepsis have been adequately addressed. The applications have been organized into diagnostic or managing applications, with the last one being further sub-organized into nano-delivered bioactive peptides with antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory activity, peptides as targeting moieties on the surface of nanosystems against sepsis, and peptides as nanocarriers for antisepsis agents. The studies have been grouped thematically and discussed, emphasizing the constructed nanosystem, physicochemical properties, and peptide-imparted enhancement in diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy. The strengths, limitations, and research gaps in each section have been elaborated. Finally, current challenges and potential future paths to enhance the use of peptides in nanosystems for combating sepsis have been deliberately spotlighted. This review reaffirms peptides' potential as promising biomaterials within nanotechnology strategies aimed at improving sepsis diagnosis and management.

Advances in Engineered Nano-Biosensors for Bacteria Diagnosis and Multidrug Resistance Inhibition

Bacterial infections continue to pose a significant global health challenge, with the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and biofilms further complicating treatment options. The rise of pan-resistant bacteria, coupled with the slow development of new antibiotics, highlights the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology-based biosensors offer fast, specific, sensitive, and selective methods for detecting and treating bacteria; hence, it is a promising approach for the diagnosis and treatment of MDR bacteria. Through mechanisms, such as destructive bacterial cell membranes, suppression of efflux pumps, and generation of reactive oxygen species, nanotechnology effectively combats bacterial resistance and biofilms. Nano-biosensors and related technology have demonstrated their importance in bacteria diagnosis and treatment, providing innovative ideas for MDR inhibition. This review focuses on multiple nanotechnology approaches in targeting MDR bacteria and eliminating antimicrobial biofilms, highlighting nano-biosensors via photodynamics-based biosensors, eletrochemistry biosensors, acoustic-dynamics sensors, and so on. Furthermore, the major challenges, opportunities of multi-physical-field biometrics-based biosensors, and relevant nanotechnology in MDR bacterial theranostics are also discussed. Overall, this review provides insights and scientific references to harness the comprehensive and diverse capabilities of nano-biosensors for precise bacteria theranostics and MDR inhibition.

A novel fluorescent traceable carbon quantum dots with selective antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis

Antibiotics can kill bacteria, but their continued use can easily lead to drug resistance, particularly the main pathogenic bacteria of periodontitis, Porphyromonas gingivalis. However, to avoid drug resistance, carbon quantum dots (CDs) have great potential as a bioactive material in antimicrobial therapy. Herein, we use ornidazole as raw material to prepare CDs of different sizes by microwave irradiation and screen CDs with fluorescence and bacteriostatic properties. The inhibition experiments and live/dead assays of P. gingivalis exhibited outstanding antibacterial effects. This research aimed to develop nano-level antibacterial active materials that also have fluorescence traceability. This study offers a different method for the development of multifunctional CDs, provides valuable strategies for the treatment of diseases associated with P. gingivalis, and predicts great application prospects in the field of biomedicine.

Paper-based analytical device integrated with bacteriophage tail fiber protein for bacteria detection and antimicrobial susceptibility test

Severe antimicrobial resistance calls for developing rapid, sensitive and affordable methodological platform for clinical diagnosis of bacterial infection. Herein, a paper-based analytical device (PAD) for fluorescent (FL) detection and antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) was fabricated by defining 96 hydrophilic microzones on a filter paper using a handheld stamp dipped with liquid wax. The size of microzones was designed to be consistent with traditional 96-well microplate, thus the FL signals can be collected by a commercialized microplate reader. Streptavidin was immobilized into the microzones by chitosan-glutaraldehyde crosslinking reaction, and then biotinylated bacteriophage tail fiber protein (TFP) was conjugated through biotin-streptavidin affinity system. TFP and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled antimicrobial peptide were used as capture agent and signal probe, respectively, for FL detection of P. aeruginosa on the PAD. The linear range for quantifying P. aeruginosa is 1.0 × 103 CFU/mL to 1.0 × 107 CFU/mL, with a detection limit of 137 CFU/mL. The PAD was also applied to conduct AST of P. aeruginosa for imipenem, meropenem, cefepime, amikacin, and gentamicin, and the results are consistent with the traditional broth dilution method. The PAD provides an affordable diagnosis platform for bacterial infection, especially in resource-limited institutes and countries.

Silica-based nanosystems against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses

Today, with the intensity of antibiotic abuse and self-medication, the need for the use of novel systems with high efficiency and biosafety for targeted drug delivery against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their infections should be highly considered by researchers. Silica-based nanosystems with unique physicochemical properties such as large surface area, tuneable pore diameter, drug loading capacity, controlled particle size/morphology, and good biocompatibility are attractive candidates against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses. They can be loaded with antiviral and antimicrobial drugs or molecules through their exclusive internal porous structures or different surface linkers. In this context, smart nanosystems can be produced via suitable surface functionalization/modification with a variety of functional groups to act against different clinical pathogenic microbes or viruses, offering great opportunities for controlling and treating various infections. However, important criteria such as the ability to degrade, biocompatibility, biodegradability, cytotoxicity, stability, clearance from targeted organs should be systematically analysed to develop nanosystems or nanocarriers with high efficiency and multifunctionality. Herein, recent advancements pertaining to the application of silica-based nanosystems against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogenic viruses are deliberated, focussing on important challenges and future perspectives.

Synergistic antibacterial activity of carvacrol loaded chitosan nanoparticles with Topoisomerase inhibitors and genotoxicity evaluation

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a significant healthcare crisis with substantial socioeconomic impact on global community. The development of new antibiotics is both costly and time-consuming prompting the exploration of alternative solutions such as nanotechnology which represents opportunities for targeted drug delivery and reduced MIC. However, concerns have arisen regarding genotoxic effects of nanoparticles on human health necessitating an evaluation of nanoparticle induced DNA damage. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial potential of already prepared, characterized chitosan nanoparticles loaded with carvacrol and their potential synergism with Topoisomerase II inhibitors against S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi using agar well diffusion, microdilution and checkerboard method. Genotoxicity was assessed through comet assay. Results showed that both alone and drug combinations of varying concentrations exhibited greater zones of inhibition at higher concentrations. Carvacrol nanoparticles combined with ciprofloxacin and doxorubicin significantly reduced MIC compared to the drugs used alone. The MIC50 values for ciprofloxacin were 35.8 µg/ml, 48.74 µg/ml, 35.57 µg/ml while doxorubicin showed MIC50 values of 20.79 µg/ml, 34.35 µg/ml, 25.32 µg/ml against S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi respectively. The FICI of ciprofloxacin and doxorubicin with carvacrol nanoparticles found ≤ 0.5 Such as 0.44, 0.44,0.48 for ciprofloxacin and 0.45, 0.45, 0.46 for doxorubicin against S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi respectively revealed the synergistic effect. The analysis of comet assay output images showed alteration of DNA at high concentrations. Our results suggested that carvacrol nanoparticles in combination with Topoisomerase inhibitors may prevent and control the emergence of resistant bacteria with reduced dose.

Recent Progress of Photothermal Therapy Based on Conjugated Nanomaterials in Combating Microbial Infections

Photothermal therapy has the advantages of non-invasiveness, low toxicity, simple operation, a broad spectrum of antibacterial ability, and non-proneness to developing drug resistance, which provide it with irreplaceable superiority in fighting against microbial infection. The effect of photothermal therapy is closely related to the choice of photothermal agent. Conjugated nanomaterials are potential candidates for photothermal agents because of their easy modification, excellent photothermal conversion efficiency, good photostability, and biodegradability. In this paper, the application of photothermal agents based on conjugated nanomaterials in photothermal antimicrobial treatment is reviewed, including conjugated small molecules, conjugated oligomers, conjugated polymers, and pseudo-conjugated polymers. At the same time, the application of conjugated nanomaterials in the combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) is briefly introduced. Finally, the research status, limitations, and prospects of photothermal therapy using conjugated nanomaterials as photothermal agents are discussed.

Biological Preparation of Chitosan-Loaded Silver Nanoparticles: Study of Methylene Blue Adsorption as Well as Antibacterial Properties under Light

Human beings have made significant progress in the medical field since antibiotics were widely used. However, the consequences caused by antibiotics abuse have gradually shown their negative effects. Antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has the ability to resist drug-resistant bacteria without antibiotics, and as it is increasingly recognized that nanoparticles can effectively solve the deficiency problem of singlet oxygen produced by photosensitizers, the application performance and scope of aPDT are gradually being expanded. In this study, we used a biological template method to reduce Ag⁺ to silver atoms in situ with bovine serum albumin (BSA) rich in various functional groups in a 50 °C water bath. The aggregation of nanomaterials was inhibited by the protein's multistage structure so that the formed nanomaterials have good dispersion and stability. It is unexpected that we used chitosan microspheres (CMs) loaded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to adsorb methylene blue (MB), which is both a pollutant and photosensitive substance. The Langmuir adsorption isothermal curve was used to fit the adsorption capacity. The exceptional multi-bond angle chelating forceps of chitosan make it have a powerful physical adsorption capacity, and dehydrogenated functional groups of proteins with negative charge can also bond to positively charged MB to form a certain amount of ionic bonds. Compared with single bacteriostatic materials, the bacteriostatic capacity of the composite materials adsorbing MB under light was significantly improved. This composite material not only has a strong inhibitory effect on Gram-negative bacteria but also has a good inhibitory effect on the growth of Gram-positive bacteria poorly affected by conventional bacteriostatic agents. In conclusion, the CMs loaded with MB and AgNPs have some possible applications in the purification or treatment of wastewater in the future.

CRISPR-Based Gene Editing in Acinetobacter baumannii to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to the health, social, environment, and economic sectors on a global scale and requires serious attention to addressing this issue. Acinetobacter baumannii was given top priority among infectious bacteria because of its extensive resistance to nearly all antibiotic classes and treatment options. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is classified as one of the critical-priority pathogens on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria for effective drug development. Although available genetic manipulation approaches are successful in A. baumannii laboratory strains, they are limited when employed on newly acquired clinical strains since such strains have higher levels of AMR than those used to select them for genetic manipulation. Recently, the CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein) system has emerged as one of the most effective, efficient, and precise methods of genome editing and offers target-specific gene editing of AMR genes in a specific bacterial strain. CRISPR-based genome editing has been successfully applied in various bacterial strains to combat AMR; however, this strategy has not yet been extensively explored in A. baumannii. This review provides detailed insight into the progress, current scenario, and future potential of CRISPR-Cas usage for AMR-related gene manipulation in A. baumannii.

Bactericidal activity of silver nanoparticles in drug-resistant bacteria

Bacterial resistance to multiple drugs is a worldwide problem that afflicts public health. Various studies have shown that silver nanoparticles are good bactericidal agents against bacteria due to the adherence and penetration of the external bacterial membrane, preventing different vital functions and subsequently bacterial cell death. A systematic review of ScienceDirect, PubMed, and EBSCOhost was conducted to synthesize the literature evidence on the association between the bactericidal property of silver nanoparticles on both resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Eligible studies were original, comparative observational studies that reported results on drug-resistant bacteria. Two independent reviewers extracted the relevant information. Out of the initial 1 420, 142 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included to form the basis of the analysis. Full-text screening led to the selection of 6 articles for review. The results of this systematic review showed that silver nanoparticles act primarily as bacteriostatic agents and subsequently as bactericides, both in Gram-positive and Gram-negative drug-resistant bacteria.

Antibacterial Properties of Ethacridine Lactate and Sulfmethoxazole Loaded Functionalized Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites

The emergence of drug-resistant bacterial strains that reduce the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents has become a major ongoing health concern in recent years. It is therefore necessary to find new antibacterials with broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and/or to use nanotechnology to boost the potency of already available medications. In this research, we examined the antibacterial efficacy of sulfamethoxazole and ethacridine lactate loaded two-dimensional glucosamine functionalized graphene-based nanocarriers against a range of bacterial isolates. Graphene oxide was first functionalized with glucosamine, which as a carbohydrate moiety can render hydrophilic and biocompatible characters to the GO surface, and subsequently loaded with ethacridine lactate and sulfamethoxazole. The resulting nanoformulations had distinct, controllable physiochemical properties. By analyzing the formulation using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (PXRD), a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zetasizer, and a morphological analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy, researchers were able to confirm the synthesis of nanocarriers. Both nanoformulations were tested against Gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli K1, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, as well as Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Importantly, ethacridine lactate and its nanoformulations exhibited significant antibacterial properties against all bacteria tested in this study. When tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the results were remarkable and revealed that ethacridine lactate presented MIC₉₀ at 9.7 µg/mL against S. enteric, and MIC₉₀ at 6.2 µg/mL against B. cereus. Notably, ethacridine lactate and its nanoformulations showed limited toxicity effects against human cells using lactate dehydrogenase assays. Overall, the results revealed that ethacridine lactate and its nanoformulations possess antibacterial activities against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and that nanotechnology can be employed for the targeted delivery of effective drugs without harming the host tissue.

Undesirable consequences of the metallic nanoparticles action on the properties and functioning of Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermidis membranes

Controversial and inconsistent findings on the toxicity of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) against many bacteria are common in recorded studies; therefore, further advanced experimental work is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying nanotoxicity. This study deciphered the direct effects of Ag-NPs, Cu-NPs, ZnO-NPs and TiO₂-NPs on membrane permeability, cytoplasmic leakage, ATP level, ATPase activity and fatty acid profiling of Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermidis as model microorganisms. A multifaceted analysis of all collected results indicated the different influences of individual NPs on the measured parameters depending on their type and concentration. Predominantly, membrane permeability was correlated with increased cytoplasmic leakage, reduced total ATP levels and ATPase activity. The established fatty acid profiles were unique and concerned various changes in the percentages of hydroxyl, cyclopropane, branched and unsaturated fatty acids. Decisively, E. coli was more susceptible to changes in measured parameters than B. cereus and S. epidermidis. Also, it was established that ZnO-NPs and Cu-NPs had a major differentiating impact on studied parameters. Additionally, bacterial cell imaging using scanning electron microscopy elucidated different NPs distributions on the cell surface. The presented results are believed to provide novel, valuable and accumulated knowledge in the understanding of NPs action on bacterial membranes.

Cationic Liposomes with Different Lipid Ratios: Antibacterial Activity, Antibacterial Mechanism, and Cytotoxicity Evaluations

Due to their strong bacterial binding and bacterial toxicity, cationic liposomes have been utilized as effective antibacterial materials in many studies. However, few researchers have systematically compared their antibacterial activity with their mammalian cell cytotoxicity or have deeply explored their antibacterial and cytotoxicity mechanisms. Here, we prepared a series of cationic liposomes (termed CLs) using dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride (DODAC) and lecithin at different molar ratios. CLs have the ability to effectively bind with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Further, the CLs with high molar ratios of DODAC (30 and 40 mol%) can disrupt the bacterial wall/membrane, efficiently inducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). More importantly, we carefully compared the antibacterial activity and the mammalian cell cytotoxicity of various CLs differing in DODAC contents and liposomal concentrations and revealed that, whether they are bacterial or mammalian cells, an increasing DODAC content in CLs can lead to an elevated cytotoxicity level. Further, there exists a critical DODAC contents (>20 mol%) in CLs to endow them with effective antibacterial ability. However, the variation in the DODAC content and liposomal concentration of CLs has different degrees of influence on the antibacterial activity or cytotoxicity. For example, CLs at high DODAC content (i.e., CL0.3 and CL0.4) could effectively kill both types of bacterial cells but only cause negligible toxicity to mammalian cells. We believe that a systematic comparison between the antibacterial activity and the cytotoxicity of CLs with different DODAC contents will provide an important reference for the potential clinical applications of cationic liposomes.

Recent Developments in Electrochemical Sensors for the Detection of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

The development of efficient point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools for detecting infectious diseases caused by destructive pathogens plays an important role in clinical and environmental monitoring. Nevertheless, evolving complex and inconsistent antibiotic-resistant species mire their drug efficacy. In this regard, substantial effort has been expended to develop electrochemical sensors, which have gained significant interest for advancing POC testing with rapid and accurate detection of resistant bacteria at a low cost compared to conventional phenotype methods. This review concentrates on the recent developments in electrochemical sensing techniques that have been applied to assess the diverse latent antibiotic resistances of pathogenic bacteria. It deliberates the prominence of biorecognition probes and tailor-made nanomaterials used in electrochemical antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). In addition, the bimodal functional efficacy of nanomaterials that can serve as potential transducer electrodes and the antimicrobial agent was investigated to meet the current requirements in designing sensor module development. In the final section, we discuss the challenges with contemporary AST sensor techniques and extend the key ideas to meet the demands of the next POC electrochemical sensors and antibiotic design modules in the healthcare sector.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria: A bibliometric review of literature

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are a serious threat to the health of people and the ecological environment. With this problem becoming more and more serious, more countries made research on the ARB, and the research number has been sharply increased particularly over the past decade. Therefore, it is quite necessary to globally retrace relevant researches on the ARB published from 2010 to 2020. This will help researchers to understand the current research situation, research trends and research hotspots in this field. This paper uses bibliometrics to examine publications in the field of ARB from 2010 to 2020 that were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS). Our study performed a statistical analysis of the countries, institutions, journals, authors, research areas, author keywords, Essential Science Indicators (ESI) highly cited papers, and ESI hotspots papers to provide an overview of the ARB field as well as research trends, research hotspots, and future research directions in the field. The results showed that the number of related studies is increasing year by year; the USA is most published in the field of ARB; China is the most active in this field in the recent years; the Chinese Acad Sci published the most articles; Sci. Total Environ. published the greatest number of articles; CM Manaia has the most contributions; Environmental Sciences and Ecology is the most popular research area; and "antibiotic resistance," "antibiotics," and "antibiotic resistance genes" were the most frequently occurring author keywords. A citation analysis showed that aquatic environment-related antibiotic resistance is a key research area in this field, while antimicrobial nanomaterial-related research is a recent popular topic.

Therapeutic Intervention for Various Hospital Setting Strains of Biofilm Forming Candida auris with Multiple Drug Resistance Mutations Using Nanomaterial Ag-Silicalite-1 Zeolite

Candida auris (C. auris), an emerging multidrug-resistant microorganism, with limited therapeutical options, is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. The current study includes 19 C. auris strains collected from King Fahd Hospital of the University and King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam, identified by 18S rRNA gene and ITS region sequencing. Drug-resistance-associated mutations in ERG11, TAC1B and FUR1 genes were screened to gain insight into the pattern of drug resistance. Molecular identification was successfully achieved using 18S rRNA gene and ITS region and 5 drug-resistance-associated missense variants identified in the ERG11 (F132Y and K143R) and TAC1B (H608Y, P611S and A640V) genes of C. auris strains, grouped into 3 clades. The prophylactic and therapeutic application of hydrothermally synthesized Ag-silicalite-1 (Si/Ag ratio 25) nanomaterial was tested against the 3 clades of clinical C. auris strains. 4wt%Ag/TiZSM-5 prepared using conventional impregnation technique was used for comparative study, and nano formulations were characterized using different techniques. The antibiofilm activity of nanomaterials was tested by cell kill assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy. Across all the clades of C. auris strains, 4 wt%Ag/TiZSM-5 and Ag-silicalite-1 demonstrated a significant (p = 1.1102 × 10^-16) inhibitory effect on the biofilm's survival rate: the lowest inhibition value was (10%) with Ag-silicalite-1 at 24 and 48 h incubation. A profound change in morphogenesis in addition to the reduction in the number of C.auris cells was shown by SEM and light microscopy. The presence of a high surface area and the uniform dispersion of nanosized Ag species displays enhanced anti-Candida activity, and therefore it has great potential against the emerging multidrug-resistant C. auris.

Palladium Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation in Liquids for Antimicrobial Applications

Antibiotic resistance is a leading cause of death worldwide. In this paper, we explore new alternatives in the treatment of infections. Noble metal nanoparticles could help to mitigate this problem. In this work, palladium nanoparticles were synthesized by laser ablation in order to explore their antimicrobial capacity. To obtain palladium nanoparticles, a palladium plate immersed in water, or methanol, was ablated, using two pulsed lasers that emit radiation with wavelengths of 532 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. Pure Pd-NPs with crystalline microstructure and rounded shape were obtained. The nanoparticles’ size is more homogeneous if the laser wavelength is 532 nm, and it decreases when methanol is used as solvent, reaching mean diameters smaller than 6 nm. With the objective of studying antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, the Pd-NPs were immobilized on the surface of titanium discs. The release of palladium ions was recorded during the first seven days, and the cytotoxicity of the immobilized NPs was also tested with L929 mouse fibroblast cell line. Palladium nanoparticles synthesized by means of the infrared laser in methanol showed a strong inhibitory effect on S. aureus and good cytocompatibility, with no toxic effect on fibroblast cells.

Novel Antimicrobial Peptide “Octoprohibitin” against Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Octoprohibitin is a synthetic antimicrobial peptide (AMP), derived from the prohibitin-2 gene of Octopus minor. It showed substantial activity against multidrug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 200 and 400 µg/mL, respectively. Time-kill kinetics and bacterial viability assays confirmed the concentration-dependent antibacterial activity of octoprohibitin against A. baumannii. The morphology and ultrastructure of A. baumannii were altered by treatment with octoprohibitin at the MIC and MBC levels. Furthermore, propidium iodide-fluorescein diacetate (PI-FDA) staining and 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H₂DCFDA) staining of octoprohibitin-treated A. baumannii revealed membrane permeability alterations and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, respectively. Agarose gel retardation results confirmed the DNA-binding ability of octoprohibitin to the genomic DNA of A. baumannii. Furthermore, octoprohibitin showed concentration-dependent inhibition of biofilm formation and eradication. The minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) of octoprohibitin were 1000 and 1460 µg/mL, respectively. Octoprohibitin produced no significant cytotoxicity up to 800 µg/mL, and no hemolysis was observed up to 400 µg/mL. Furthermore, in vivo analysis in an A. baumannii-infected zebrafish model confirmed the effective bactericidal activity of octoprohibitin with higher cumulative survival percent (46.6%) and fewer pathological signs. Histological analysis showed reduced alterations in the gut, kidney, and gill tissues in the octoprohibitin-treated group compared with those in the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated group. In conclusion, our results suggest that octoprohibitin is a potential antibacterial and antibiofilm agent against MDR A. baumannii.

Combination of Six Individual Derivatives of the Pom-1 Antibiofilm Peptide Doubles Their Efficacy against Invasive and Multi-Resistant Clinical Isolates of the Pathogenic Yeast Candida albicans

In previous studies, derivatives of the peptide Pom-1, which was originally extracted from the freshwater mollusk Pomacea poeyana, showed an exceptional ability to specifically inhibit biofilm formation of the laboratory strain ATCC 90028 as a model strain of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. In follow-up, here, we demonstrate that the derivatives Pom-1A to Pom-1F are also active against biofilms of invasive clinical C. albicans isolates, including strains resistant against fluconazole and/or amphotericin B. However, efficacy varied strongly between the isolates, as indicated by large deviations in the experiments. This lack of robustness could be efficiently bypassed by using mixtures of all peptides. These mixed peptide preparations were active against biofilm formation of all the isolates with uniform efficacies, and the total peptide concentration could be halved compared to the original MIC of the individual peptides (2.5 µg/mL). Moreover, mixing the individual peptides restored the antifungal effect of fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant isolates even at 50% of the standard therapeutic concentration. Without having elucidated the reason for these synergistic effects of the peptides yet, both the gain of efficacy and the considerable increase in efficiency by combining the peptides indicate that Pom-1 and its derivatives in suitable formulations may play an important role as new antibiofilm antimycotics in the fight against invasive clinical infections with (multi-) resistant C. albicans.

Nanomedicine Penetration to Tumor: Challenges, and Advanced Strategies to Tackle This Issue

Nanomedicine has been under investigation for several years to improve the efficiency of chemotherapeutics, having minimal pharmacological effects clinically. Ineffective tumor penetration is mediated by tumor environments, including limited vascular system, rising cancer cells, higher interstitial pressure, and extra-cellular matrix, among other things. Thus far, numerous methods to increase nanomedicine access to tumors have been described, including the manipulation of tumor micro-environments and the improvement of nanomedicine characteristics; however, such outdated approaches still have shortcomings. Multi-functional convertible nanocarriers have recently been developed as an innovative nanomedicine generation with excellent tumor infiltration abilities, such as tumor-penetrating peptide-mediated transcellular transport. The developments and limitations of nanomedicines, as well as expectations for better outcomes of tumor penetration, are discussed in this review.

A Novel Proline-Rich Cathelicidin from the Alpaca Vicugna pacos with Potency to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Mechanism of Action and the Functional Role of the C-Terminal Region

Over recent years, a growing number of bacterial species have become resistant to clinically relevant antibiotics. Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) having a potent antimicrobial activity and a negligible toxicity toward mammalian cells attract attention as new templates for the development of antibiotic drugs. Here, we mined genomes of all living Camelidae species and found a novel family of Bac7-like proline-rich cathelicidins which inhibited bacterial protein synthesis. The N-terminal region of a novel peptide from the alpaca Vicugna pacos named VicBac is responsible for inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis with an IC₅₀ value of 0.5 µM in the E. coli cell-free system whereas the C-terminal region allows the peptide to penetrate bacterial membranes effectively. We also found that the full-length VicBac did not induce bacterial resistance after a two-week selection experiment, unlike the N-terminal truncated analog, which depended on the SbmA transport system. Both pro- and anti-inflammatory action of VicBac and its N-terminal truncated variant on various human cell types was found by multiplex immunoassay. The presence of the C-terminal tail in the natural VicBac does not provide for specific immune-modulatory effects in vitro but enhances the observed impact compared with the truncated analog. The pronounced antibacterial activity of VicBac, along with its moderate adverse effects on mammalian cells, make this molecule a promising scaffold for the development of peptide antibiotics.

Synthesis, Characterization, Functionalization and Bio-Applications of Hydroxyapatite Nanomaterials: An Overview

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is similar to natural bone regarding composition, and its structure favors in biomedical applications. Continuous research and progress on HA nanomaterials (HA-NMs) have explored novel fabrication approaches coupled with functionalization and characterization methods. These nanomaterials have a significant role in many biomedical areas like sustained drug and gene delivery, bio-imaging, magnetic resonance, cell separation, and hyperthermia treatment due to their promising biocompatibility. This review highlighted the HA-NMs chemical composition, recent progress in synthesis methods, characterization and surface modification methods, ion-doping, and role in biomedical applications. HA-NMs have a substantial role as drug delivery vehicles, coating material, bone implant, coating, ceramic, and composite materials. Here, we try to summarize an overview of HA-NMs with the provision of future directions.

Synthesis and Characterization of Antibiotic–Loaded Biodegradable Citrate Functionalized Mesoporous Hydroxyapatite Nanocarriers as an Alternative Treatment for Bone Infections

The continuing growth of bacterial resistance makes the top challenge for the healthcare system especially in bone-infections treatment. Current estimates reveal that in 2050 the death ratio caused by bacterial infections can be higher than cancer. The aim of this study is to provide an alternative to currently available bone-infection treatments. Here we designed mesoporous hydroxyapatite nanocarriers functionalized with citrate (Ctr–mpHANCs). Amoxicillin (AMX) is used as a model drug to load in Ctr–mpHANCs, and the drug loading was more than 90% due to the porous nature of nanocarriers. Scanning electron microscopy shows the roughly spherical morphology of nanocarriers, and the DLS study showed the approximate size of 92 nm. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area and pore diameter was found to be about 182.35 m²/g and 4.2 nm, respectively. We noticed that almost 100% of the drug is released from the AMX loaded Ctr–mpHANCs (AMX@Ctr–mpHANCs) in a pH-dependent manner within 3 d and 5 d at pH 2.0 and 4.5, respectively. The sustained drug release behaviour was observed for 15 d at pH 7.4 and no RBCs hemolysis by AMX@Ctr–mpHANCs. The broth dilution and colony forming unit (CFU) assays were used to determine the antimicrobial potential of AMX@Ctr–mpHANCs. It was observed in both studies that AMX@Ctr–mpHANCs showed a significant reduction in the bacterial growth of S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa as compared to Ctr–mpHANCs with no bacteria-killing. Thus, we proposed that Ctr–mpHANCs can be used as a drug carrier and a treatment option for bone infections caused by bacteria.

Progress Report: Antimicrobial Drug Discovery in the Resistance Era

Antibiotic resistance continues to be a most serious threat to public health. This situation demands that the scientific community increase their efforts for the discovery of alternative strategies to circumvent the problems associated with conventional small molecule therapeutics. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Report (published in June 2021) discloses the rapidly increasing number of bacterial infections that are mainly caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. These concerns have initiated various government agencies and other organizations to educate the public regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics. This review discusses a brief highlight on the timeline of antimicrobial drug discovery with a special emphasis on the historical development of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, new antimicrobial targets and approaches, recent developments in drug screening, design, and delivery were covered. This review also discusses the emergence and roles of various antibiotic adjuvants and combination therapies while shedding light on current challenges and future perspectives. Overall, the emergence of resistant microbial strains has challenged drug discovery but their efforts to develop alternative technologies such as nanomaterials seem to be promising for the future.