Carbohydrate-Conjugated Hollow Oblate Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Nanoantibiotics to Target Mycobacteria

Abstract

Engineering nanomaterials with enhanced antibacterial activities remains a critical and practical challenge. Hollow oblate mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HOMSNs) are synthesized by a simple protocol of ammonia hydrothermal treatment of oblate mesoporous silica nanoparticles prepared using dibenzyl ether as a cosolvent. When conjugated with trehalose as the targeting ligand, the antibiotic-encapsulated HOMSNs exhibit high binding affinity and antibacterial efficacy toward mycobacteria.

Keywords: antimicrobial; mesoporous silica nanoparticles; nanoantibiotics; targeting; trehalose.