Silver nanoparticles anchored magnetic self-assembled carboxymethyl cellulose-ε-polylysine hybrids with synergetic antibacterial activity for wound infection therapy

Abstract

The severe bacterial infection and chronic wound healing caused by the abuse of antibiotics threaten the public health, which calls the need for the development of novel antibacterial agents and alternative therapeutic strategies. Herein, magnetic carboxymethyl cellulose-ε-polylysine hybrids (FCE) were synthesized via a facile one-pot coprecipitation method and further used as matrix to anchor silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The as-resulted Ag/FCE hybrids were employed to inactivate pathogenic bacteria and accelerate bacteria-infected wound healing with the assistance of H₂O₂. In vitro investigation revealed the combination of hydroxyl radical (·OH) originated from low concentration of H₂O₂ catalyzed by Ag/FCE and the antimicrobial activity of Ag NPs endowed effective antibacterial performance to the hybrids against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Investigation on antibacterial mechanism indicated antibacterial activity of the synergetic strategy was achieved by destroying bacterial cell integrity, arresting metabolic, producing intracellular ROS, and oxidizing GSH. Additionally, in vivo assay exhibited Ag/FCE possessed satisfactory biocompatibility and effectively accelerated S. aureus-infected wound healing with the presence of low concentration of H₂O₂. Altogether, the presented results supported the great potential application of the synergistic antibacterial strategy for the therapy of bacterial-infected wound healing.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Silver nanoparticles; Wound healing.