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Antibiotics
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Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance
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Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Novel Antimicrobial Agents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 18736

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alberto Vitali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche – SCITEC- CNR, Rome, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial and antibiofilm peptides and natural compounds; nano delivery systems; peptide and protein functional and structural characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The search for new and effective antibiotic molecules to address the increasingly serious health emergency represented by antibiotic resistance is certainly among the priorities of current scientific research, as also highlighted by the WHO that puts the problem of antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance among the 10 top global public health threats. However, the search for new antibiotic molecules of synthetic or natural origin is not only limited to increasing the number of such molecules to expand the arsenal to be used against microorganisms but also to devise new delivery systems allowing these molecules to perform more effectively. One of the major obstacles encountered by antibiotic molecules to fully exploit their action is represented by the physical–chemical barrier of the biofilm matrix. Among the strategies currently available to increase the effectiveness of new and old antibiotics, drug delivery using nanosystems is certainly one of the most effective and promising, even if several concerns such as biodegradability and biocompatibility, avoidance of toxic byproducts, and storage stability are to be addressed in order to allow the translation of these formulations to the clinic.

In this view, this Special Issue of Antibiotics aims to provide a panorama of the newest research studies concerning the delivery of antibiotics with engineered nanosystems. Scientific contributions showing innovative formulation strategies to deliver antimicrobial molecules of synthetic and natural origin, studies illustrating the in vitro/in vivo efficacies and the physicochemical properties of such nanodelivery systems, and studies describing antibiotic-loaded nanosystems specifically designed to circumvent the biofilm barrier are welcome.

We kindly invite primary research articles as well as reviews of the state of the art. All articles will be peer-reviewed to ensure that high-quality contributions are included in this Special Issue.

Dr. Alberto Vitali
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Infectious diseases
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Nanodrug delivery systems
  • Nanotechnology
  • Controlled release
  • Targeted drug delivery

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 7384 KiB  
Article
PEG-Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles for Modulation of Microbial Biofilms on Voice Prosthesis
by Mara Caciandone, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Aurelian Radu Roșu, Valentina Grumezescu, Irina Negut, Alina Maria Holban, Ovidiu Oprea, Bogdan Ștefan Vasile, Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Miruna Silvia Stan, Alina Georgiana Anghel and Ion Anghel
Antibiotics 2022, 11(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11010039 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
This study reports the fabrication of nanostructured coatings based on magnetite, polyethyleneglycol, and biologically active molecule (polymyxin B-PM) for producing biofilm-resistant surfaces (voice prosthesis). Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have been synthesized and functionalized using a co-precipitation method and were further deposited into thin coatings [...] Read more.
This study reports the fabrication of nanostructured coatings based on magnetite, polyethyleneglycol, and biologically active molecule (polymyxin B-PM) for producing biofilm-resistant surfaces (voice prosthesis). Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have been synthesized and functionalized using a co-precipitation method and were further deposited into thin coatings using the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The obtained nanoparticles and coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis with differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction (TEM-SAED), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and infrared microscopy (IRM). Their antibiofilm activity was tested against relevant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains. The Fe3O4@PEG/PM surface of modified voice prosthesis sections reduced the number of CFU/mL up to four orders of magnitude in the case of S. aureus biofilm. A more significant inhibitory effect is noticed in the case of P. aeruginosa up to five folds. These results highlight the importance of new Fe3O4@PEG/PM in the biomedical field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance)
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13 pages, 2317 KiB  
Article
Antifungal Carvacrol Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles
by Alberto Vitali, Annarita Stringaro, Marisa Colone, Alexandra Muntiu and Letizia Angiolella
Antibiotics 2022, 11(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11010011 - 22 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2986
Abstract
The increased prevalence and incidence of fungal infections, of which Candida albicans represents one of the most life-threatening organisms, is prompting the scientific community to develop novel antifungal molecules. Many essential oils components are attracting attention for their interesting antifungal activities. Given the [...] Read more.
The increased prevalence and incidence of fungal infections, of which Candida albicans represents one of the most life-threatening organisms, is prompting the scientific community to develop novel antifungal molecules. Many essential oils components are attracting attention for their interesting antifungal activities. Given the chemical and physical characteristics of these compounds, the use of appropriate nanodelivery systems is becoming increasingly widespread. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using an ionic gelation procedure and loaded with the phenolic monoterpene carvacrol. After a bioassay guided optimization, the best nanoparticle formulation was structurally characterized by means of different spectroscopic (UV, FTIR and DLS) and microscopy techniques (SEM) and described for their functional features (encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and release kinetics). The antifungal activity of this formulation was assayed with different Candida spp., both in planktonic and biofilm forms. From these studies, it emerged that the carvacrol loaded nanoparticles were particularly active against planktonic forms and that the antibiofilm activity was highly dependent on the species tested, with the C. tropicalis and C. krusei strains resulting as the most susceptible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance)
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26 pages, 7954 KiB  
Article
Iron Oxide–Silica Core–Shell Nanoparticles Functionalized with Essential Oils for Antimicrobial Therapies
by Cristina Chircov, Maria-Florentina Matei, Ionela Andreea Neacșu, Bogdan Stefan Vasile, Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea, Alexa-Maria Croitoru, Roxana-Doina Trușcă, Ecaterina Andronescu, Ionuț Sorescu and Florica Bărbuceanu
Antibiotics 2021, 10(9), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10091138 - 21 Sep 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3813
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a tremendous interest in the use of essential oils in biomedical applications due to their intrinsic antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, their low aqueous solubility and high volatility compromise their maximum potential, thus requiring the development of efficient [...] Read more.
Recent years have witnessed a tremendous interest in the use of essential oils in biomedical applications due to their intrinsic antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, their low aqueous solubility and high volatility compromise their maximum potential, thus requiring the development of efficient supports for their delivery. Hence, this manuscript focuses on developing nanostructured systems based on Fe3O4@SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles and three different types of essential oils, i.e., thyme, rosemary, and basil, to overcome these limitations. Specifically, this work represents a comparative study between co-precipitation and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods for the synthesis of Fe3O4@SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles. All magnetic samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) to study the impact of the synthesis method on the nanoparticle formation and properties, in terms of crystallinity, purity, size, morphology, stability, and magnetization. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the synthesized nanocomposites were assessed through in vitro tests on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. In this manner, this study demonstrated the efficiency of the core–shell nanostructured systems as potential applications in antimicrobial therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance)
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21 pages, 8810 KiB  
Article
Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antimicrobial Potential of Terminalia catappa Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles against Candida albicans and Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria
by Mohammad Azam Ansari, Abul Kalam, Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi, Mohammad N. Alomary, Sami AlYahya, Mohammad Kashif Aziz, Shekhar Srivastava, Saad Alghamdi, Sultan Akhtar, Hussain D. Almalki, Syed F. Adil, Mujeeb Khan and Mohammad R. Hatshan
Antibiotics 2021, 10(6), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10060725 - 16 Jun 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4174
Abstract
Biofilms not only protect bacteria and Candida species from antibiotics, but they also promote the emergence of drug-resistant strains, making eradication more challenging. As a result, novel antimicrobial agents to counteract biofilm formation are desperately needed. In this study, Terminalia catappa leaf extract [...] Read more.
Biofilms not only protect bacteria and Candida species from antibiotics, but they also promote the emergence of drug-resistant strains, making eradication more challenging. As a result, novel antimicrobial agents to counteract biofilm formation are desperately needed. In this study, Terminalia catappa leaf extract (TCE) was used to optimize the TCE-capped silver nanoparticles (TCE-AgNPs) via a one-pot single-step method. Varied concentrations of TCE have yielded different sized AgNPs. The physico-chemical characterization of TCE-AgNPs using UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy have confirmed the formation of nanostructures, their shape and size and plausible role of TCE bio-active compounds, most likely involved in the synthesis as well as stabilization of NPs, respectively. TCE-AgNPs have been tested for antibiofilm and antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Candida albicans using various microbiological protocols. TCE-Ag-NPs−3 significantly inhibits biofilm formation of MDR-PA, MRSA, and C. albicans by 73.7, 69.56, and 63.63%, respectively, at a concentration of 7.8 µg/mL, as determined by crystal violet microtiter assay. Furthermore, SEM micrograph shows that TCE-AgNPs significantly inhibit the colonization and adherence of biofilm forming cells; individual cells with loss of cell wall and membrane integrity were also observed, suggesting that the biofilm architecture and EPS matrix were severely damaged. Moreover, TEM and SEM images showed that TCE-AgNPs brutally damaged the cell wall and membranes of MDR-PA, MRSA, and C. albicans. Additionally, extreme ultrastructural changes such as deformation, disintegration, and separation of cell wall and membrane from the cells, have also been observed, indicating significant loss of membrane and cell wall integrity, which eventually led to cell death. Overall, the research revealed a simple, environmentally friendly, and low-cost method for producing colloidal TCE-AgNPs with promising applications in advanced clinical settings against broad-spectrum biofilm-forming antibiotic-resistant bacteria and candida strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance)
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Review

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26 pages, 2812 KiB  
Review
Potential of Nanoparticles Integrated with Antibacterial Properties in Preventing Biofilm and Antibiotic Resistance
by Maheswary Thambirajoo, Manira Maarof, Yogeswaran Lokanathan, Haliza Katas, Nur Fatiha Ghazalli, Yasuhiko Tabata and Mh Busra Fauzi
Antibiotics 2021, 10(11), 1338; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10111338 - 02 Nov 2021
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4561
Abstract
Nanotechnology has become an emerging technology in the medical field and is widely applicable for various clinical applications. The potential use of nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents is greatly explored and taken into consideration as alternative methods to overcome the challenges faced by healthcare [...] Read more.
Nanotechnology has become an emerging technology in the medical field and is widely applicable for various clinical applications. The potential use of nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents is greatly explored and taken into consideration as alternative methods to overcome the challenges faced by healthcare workers and patients in preventing infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms. Among microorganisms, bacterial infections remain a major hurdle and are responsible for high morbidity and mortality globally, especially involving those with medical conditions and elderly populations. Over time, these groups are more vulnerable to developing resistance to antibiotics, as bacterial biofilms are difficult to destroy or eliminate via antibiotics; thus, treatment becomes unsuccessful or ineffective. Mostly, bacterial biofilms and other microbes can be found on medical devices and wounds where they disperse their contents which cause infections. To inhibit biofilm formations and overcome antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial-loaded nanoparticles alone or combined with other substances could enhance the bactericidal activity of nanomaterials. This includes killing the pathogens effectively without harming other cells or causing any adverse effects to living cells. This review summarises the mechanisms of actions employed by the different types of nanoparticles which counteract infectious agents in reducing biofilm formation and improve antibiotic therapy for clinical usage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial-Loaded Nanoparticles: Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance)
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