Cytotoxicity and anti-biofilm activities of biogenic cadmium nanoparticles and cadmium nitrate: a preliminary study

• Published in: World journal of microbiology & biotechnology 2022-12, Vol.38 (12), p.246-246, Article 246
• Main Authors: Adeli-Sardou, Mahboubeh, Shakibaie, Mojtaba, Forootanfar, Hamid, Jabari-Morouei, Fereshteh, Riahi-Madvar, Soudabe, Ghafari-Shahrbabaki, Sima-Sadat, Mehrabani, Mitra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibacterial activity; antibacterial properties; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Applied Microbiology; Artemisia; Artemisia persica; Biochemistry; Biocompatibility; biofilm; Biofilms; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cadmium; Cell lines; Cytotoxicity; Drug resistance; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Gentamicin; Global health; Health problems; hemolysis; Kanamycin; kidneys; Life Sciences; liver; Meropenem; Methicillin; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Molecular modelling; Nanoparticles; Nitrates; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Public health; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptomycin; tetracycline; Toxicity; toxicology; Vancomycin
• ISSN: 0959-3993; 1573-0972
• DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03418-x

Wild-type microorganisms have become tolerant to higher antibiotic and antimicrobial agent concentrations due to the global increase in antibiotic consumption. Green-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as potential antimicrobial agents to overcome the problem. This research prepared cadmium nanoparticles (Cd NPs) using Artemisia persica extract. To clarify the biological behavior of Cd NPs and Cd (NO 3 ) 2 , cytotoxicity, antibacterial, anti-biofilm, and biocompatible experiments were performed. Since Cd toxicity is associated with liver, kidney damage, and other deficits, HepG2 and HUVEC cell lines were employed as the in vitro cytotoxicity models. Cd NPs had a lower cytotoxic effect than Cd (NO 3 ) 2 against both HepG2 and HUVEC cells. The Cd NPs exhibited no hemolysis activity. The antibacterial and anti-biofilm studies were conducted using gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the ability to form severe adherent biofilms. The antibacterial activity of Cd NPs against clinically isolated S. aureus , P. mirabilis , and P. aeruginosa was above 2560 µg mL − 1 . The Cd NPs (640 µg mL − 1 ) decreased the biofilm formation of S. aureus , P . mirabilis , and P. aeruginosa by 24.6%, 31.6%, and 26.4%, respectively. Moreover, adding Cd NPs (100 µg/disc) to antibiotic discs increased the antibacterial activity of vancomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, streptomycin, meropenem, and kanamycin against Methicillin-resistant S. aureus , significantly. Due to the emergence of resistant microorganisms, Cd NPs can be used as an exciting material to counterattack global health problems. Further research is needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying Cd NPs’ pharmacological and toxicological effects.