Polytrimethylenimines: Highly Potent Antibacterial Agents with Activity and Toxicity Modulated by the Polymer Molecular Weight

Biomacromolecules. 2023 May 8;24(5):2237-2249. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00139. Epub 2023 Apr 24.

Abstract

Cationic polymers have been extensively investigated as a potential replacement for traditional antibiotics. Here, we examined the effect of molecular weight (MW) on the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and hemolytic activity of linear polytrimethylenimine (L-PTMI). The results indicate that the biological activity of the polymer sharply increases as MW increases. Thanks to a different position of the antibacterial activity and toxicity thresholds, tuning the MW of PTMI allows one to achieve a therapeutic window between antimicrobial activity and toxicity concentrations. L-PTMI presents significantly higher antimicrobial activity against model microorganisms than linear polyethylenimine (L-PEI) when polymers with a similar number of repeating units are compared. For the derivatives of L-PTMI and L-PEI, obtained through N-monomethylation and partial N,N-dimethylation of linear polyamines, the antimicrobial activity and toxicity were both reduced; however, resulting selectivity indices were higher. Selected materials were tested against clinical isolates of pathogens from the ESKAPE group and Mycobacteria, revealing good antibacterial properties of L-PTMI against antibiotic-resistant strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but limited antibacterial properties against Mycobacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Anti-Infective Agents*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Weight
  • Polymers / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Polymers
  • Anti-Infective Agents