Core@shell structured ceria@mesoporous silica nanoantibiotics restrain bacterial growth in vitro and in vivo

• Published in: Biomaterials advances 2022-02, Vol.133, p.112607-112607, Article 112607
• Main Authors: Şen Karaman, Didem, Kietz, Christa, Govardhanam, Prakirth, Slita, Anna, Manea, Alexandra, Pamukçu, Ayşenur, Meinander, Annika, Rosenholm, Jessica M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2772-9508; 1873-0191; 2772-9508
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112607

Due to its modular and flexible design options, mesoporous silica provides ample opportunities when developing new strategies for combinatory antibacterial treatments. In this study, antibacterial ceria (CeO ) nanoparticles (NP) were used as core material, and were further coated with a mesoporous silica shell (mSiO ) to obtain a core@shell structured nanocomposite (CeO @mSiO ). The porous silica shell was utilized as drug reservoir, whereby CeO @mSiO was loaded with the antimicrobial agent capsaicin (CeO @mSiO /Cap). CeO @mSiO /Cap was further surface-coated with the natural antimicrobial polymer chitosan by employing physical adsorption. The obtained nanocomposite, CeO @mSiO /Cap@Chit, denoted NAB, which stands for "nanoantibiotic", provided a combinatory antibacterial mode of action. The antibacterial effect of NAB on the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli) was proven to be significant in vitro. In addition, in vivo evaluations revealed NAB to inhibit the bacterial growth in the intestine of bacteria-fed Drosophila melanogaster larvae, and decreased the required dose of capsaicin needed to eliminate bacteria. As our constructed CeO @mSiO did not show toxicity to mammalian cells, it holds promise for the development of next-generation nanoantibiotics of non-toxic nature with flexible design options.