Porphyrin-cellulose nanocrystals: a photobactericidal material that exhibits broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.

Towards our overall objectives of developing potent antimicrobial materials to combat the escalating threat to human health posed by the transmission of surface-adhering pathogenic bacteria, we have investigated the photobactericidal activity of cellulose nanocrystals that have been modified with a porphyrin-derived photosensitizer (PS). The ability of these previously synthesized porphyrin-cellulose-nanocrystals (CNC-Por (1)) to mediate bacterial photodynamic inactivation was investigated as a function of bacterial strain, incubation time and illumination time. Despite forming an insoluble suspension, CNC-Por (1) showed excellent efficacy toward the photodynamic inactivation of Acinetobacter baumannii, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with the best results achieving 5-6 log units reduction in colony forming units (CFUs) upon illumination with visible light (400-700 nm; 118 J cm(-2)). CNC-Por (1) mediated the inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, although at reduced activity (2-3 log units reduction). Confocal laser scanning microscopy of CNC-Por (1) after incubation with A. baumannii or S. aureus suggested a lack of internalization of the PS. Research into alternative materials such as CNC-Por (1) may lead to their application in hospitals and healthcare-related industries wherein novel materials with the capability of reducing the rates of transmission of a wide range of bacteria, particularly antibiotic resistant strains, are desired.

Photobactericidal porphyrin-cellulose nanocrystals: synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial properties.

Adherence and survival of pathogenic bacteria on surfaces leading to concomitant transmission to new hosts significantly contributes to the proliferation of pathogens, which in turn considerably increases the threat to human health, particularly by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Consequently, more research into effective surface disinfection and alternative materials (fabrics, plastics, or coatings) with antimicrobial and other bioactive characteristics is desirable. This report describes the synthesis and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals that were surface-modified with a cationic porphyrin. The porphyrin was appended onto the cellulose surface via the Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen-Meldal-Sharpless 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition having occurred between azide groups on the cellulosic surface and porphyrinic alkynes. The resulting, generally insoluble, crystalline material, CNC-Por (5), was characterized by infrared and diffusion (1)H NMR spectroscopies, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. Although only suspended, and not dissolved, in an aqueous system, CNC-Por (5) showed excellent efficacy toward the photodynamic inactivation of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Staphylococcus aureus , albeit only slight activity against Escherichia coli . The synthesis, properties, and activity of CNC-Por (5) described herein serve as a benchmark toward our overall objectives of developing novel, potent, bioactive, photobactericidal materials that are effective against a range of bacteria, with potential utilization in the health care and food preparation industries.

Highly efficient in vitro photodynamic inactivation of Mycobacterium smegmatis.

OBJECTIVES: Efforts to control tuberculosis (TB) have been hampered by the emergence of multiple-drug resistant strains, necessitating pursuit of alternative approaches to the current antibiotic-based treatments. Herein, we explore the feasibility of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of mycobacteria. METHODS: In vitro PDI studies employing Mycobacterium smegmatis as a surrogate for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were performed examining photosensitizer (PS) type, concentration and light dose. M. smegmatis was grown to a concentration of 10(8) colony forming units (cfu) per mL, resuspended in PBS-0.5% Tween-80-containing buffer, incubated with the PS for 5 min and subsequently illuminated with white light (400-700 nm) at a fluence rate of 60 mW/cm(2) for 1, 5, 15 or 30 min (equivalent to 3.4, 18, 54 or 108 J/cm(2)). The percentage survival was determined by the ratio of the colony count from illuminated and non-illuminated control cell suspensions. The PSs examined were 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridinyl)porphyrin tetratosylate (TMPyP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium)porphyrin tetrachloride (TNMAP), methylene blue (MB), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphyrin (TSPP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin-Pd(II) (TCPP-Pd) and phthalocyanine tetrasulphonic acid (PhCS). RESULTS: Our best results demonstrate that PDI of M. smegmatis can achieve a noteworthy 5-6 log unit reduction in cfu (99.999% + viable cell eradication) when cationic PSs are employed in the nanomolar concentration range. Anionic PSs did not effectively mediate PDI of mycobacteria due to their inability to associate with the negatively charged mycobacterial cell membrane. CONCLUSIONS: PDI of M. smegmatis was found to be highly efficient in reducing the number of viable cells in vitro when cationic PSs were employed.