Photo-responsive functional gold nanocapsules for inactivation of community-acquired, highly virulent, multidrug-resistant MRSA

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. B, Materials for biology and medicine Materials for biology and medicine, 2021-01, Vol.9 (3), p.846-856
• Main Authors: Thorat, Nanasaheb D, Dworniczek, Ewa, Brennan, Grace, Chodaczek, Grzegorz, Mouras, Rabah, Gascón Pérez, Victoria, Silien, Christophe, Tofail, Syed A. M, Bauer, Joanna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial materials; Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotics; Aptamers; Bacteria; Biofilms; Cell lines; Cell walls; Curcumin; Cytotoxicity; Deactivation; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drug resistance; Fluorescence; Fluorescence microscopy; Gold; Gold - chemistry; Gold - pharmacology; Inactivation; Membrane potential; Membranes; Methicillin; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Structure; Multidrug resistance; Nanocapsules - chemistry; Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Near infrared radiation; Particle Size; Photochemical Processes; Public health; Raman spectroscopy; Reactive oxygen species; Spectrum analysis; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus infections; Stimulation; Surface Properties; Therapeutic applications; Toxicity; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/d0tb02047h

The indiscriminate and sporadic use of antibiotics has contributed to the emergence of drug resistance phenomenon in bacteria including but not limited to Staphylococcus aureus . These drug-resistant bacteria have been threatening safety in hospitals and adversely affecting human health. Here we report a strategy to design photo-stimulated theranostic nanoprobes against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) "superbug" USA300. The nanocapsule probe is based on gold nanorods (GNRs) coated with pegylated thiol, mPEG-SH, which has been further modified by adding successively a natural antibacterial compound such as curcumin, and a cell targeting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) aptamer. We have used this novel gold nanocapsules for near-infrared (NIR) photophysical stimulation against pathogenic bacteria. We have found that the novel nanocapsule blocks biofilm formation and kills bacteria by photothermal action that causes disruption of the bacterial cell wall and membrane. In this approach, multiple drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been captured by these nanocapsules through DNA aptamer targeting. All of the trapped bacteria could be killed in 30 minutes during the NIR stimulation due to the combination of photothermal effect, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a loss of transmembrane potential (Δ ψ ). Importantly we did not notice any resistance developed against the photothermal treatment. This is remarkable from an anti-biofilm activity point of view. Importantly, these multifunctional nanocapsules have also shown a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) effect, which could be used to evaluate the success of the inactivation effect during treatment. These results indicate that nanocapsule-based photo treatment can be an alternative antibacterial strategy without contributing to antibiotic resistance, and thus can be used for both environmental and therapeutic applications. The indiscriminate and sporadic use of antibiotics has contributed to the emergence of drug resistance phenomenon in bacteria including but not limited to Staphylococcus aureus . Functional gold nanocapsules with phototherapy is an alternative to.