Biohybrid polymer-antimicrobial peptide medium against Enterococcus faecalis

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 3;9(10):e109413. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109413. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are conserved evolutionary components of the innate immune system that are being tested as alternatives to antibiotics. Slow release of AMPs using biodegradable polymers can be advantageous in maintaining high peptide levels for topical treatment, especially in the oral environment in which dosage retention is challenged by drug dilution with saliva flow and by drug inactivation by salivary enzymatic activity. Enterococcus faecalis is a multidrug resistant nosocomial pathogen and a persistent pathogen in root canal infections. In this study, four ultra-short lipopeptides (C16-KGGK, C16-KLLK, C16-KAAK and C16-KKK) and an amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptide (Amp-1D) were tested against E. faecalis. The antibacterial effect was determined against planktonic bacteria and bacteria grown in biofilm. Of the five tested AMPs, C16-KGGK was the most effective. Next C16-KGGK was formulated with one of two polymers poly (lactic acid co castor oil) (DLLA) or ricinoleic acid-based poly (ester-anhydride) P(SA-RA). Peptide-synthetic polymer conjugates, also referred to as biohybrid mediums were tested for antibacterial activity against E. faecalis grown in suspension and in biofilms. The new formulations exhibited strong and improved anti-E. faecalis activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Polymers / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Polymers

Grants and funding

This research was supported by The Legacy Heritage Clinical Research Initiative of the Israel Science Foundation (grant No.1764/11) (NB). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.