Dynamically crosslinked polymer nanocomposites to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial biofilms

Nanoscale. 2018 Oct 21;10(39):18651-18656. doi: 10.1039/c8nr06348f. Epub 2018 Sep 28.

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant biofilms are highly resistant to current antimicrobial therapies. We have developed an antimicrobial platform that integrates the bacteria-killing phytochemical carvacrol into dynamically crosslinked polymer nanocomposites (DCPNs). Taking advantage of a reversibly crosslinked Schiff-base scaffold throughout the engineered emulsions, DCPNs exhibited long-term shelf-life and good stability in serum, while readily disassembling in acidic microenvironments. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DCPNs efficiently penetrate the biofilm matrix, eradicating both Gram-negative/positive bacteria enclosed within. Moreover, DCPNs showed no observable toxicity to fibroblast mammalian cells with the same antimicrobial concentrations necessary to eradicate MDR biofilms. Given their potent antimicrobial and stimuli-responsive dissociation characteristics in a biofilm setting, DCPNs are a suitable therapeutic platform for combating MDR bacterial infections.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / drug effects*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / physiology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / physiology*
  • Mice
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents