The Enhancement of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy of Escherichia Coli by a Functionalized Combination of Photosensitizers: In Vitro Examination of Single Cells by Quantitative Phase Imaging.

The prevention of biofilm formation is crucial for the limitation of bacterial infections typically associated with postoperative infections, complications in bedridden patients, and a short-term prognosis in affected cancer patients or mechanically ventilated patients. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) emerges as a promising alternative for the prevention of infections due to the inability of bacteria to become resistant to aPDT inactivation processes. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the use of a functionalized combination of Chlorin e6 and Pheophorbide as a new approach to more effective aPDT by increasing the accumulation of photosensitizers (PSs) within Escherichia coli cells. The accumulation of PSs and changes in the dry mass density of single-cell bacteria before and after aPDT treatment were investigated by digital holotomography (DHT) using the refractive index as an imaging contrast for 3D label-free live bacteria cell imaging. The results confirmed that DHT can be used in complex examination of the cell-photosensitizer interaction and characterization of the efficiency of aPDT. Furthermore, the use of Pheophorbide a as an efflux pomp inhibitor in combination with Chlorin e6 increases photosensitizers accumulation within E. coli and overcomes the limited penetration of Gram-negative cells by anionic and neutral photosensitizers.

Photolon Nanoporous Photoactive Material with Antibacterial Activity and Label-Free Noncontact Method for Free Radical Detection.

The worldwide increase in bacterial resistance and healthcare-associated bacterial infections pose a serious threat to human health. The antimicrobial photodynamic method reveals the opportunity for a new therapeutic approach that is based on the limited delivery of photosensitizer from the material surface. Nanoporous inorganic-organic composites were obtained by entrapment of photosensitizer Photolon in polysiloxanes that was prepared by the sol-gel method. The material was characterized by its porosity, optical properties (fluorescence and absorbance), and laser-induced antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The permanent encapsulation of Photolon in the silica coating and the antimicrobial efficiency was confirmed by confocal microscope and digital holotomography. The generation of free radicals from nanoporous surfaces was proved by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. For the first time, it was confirmed that Kelvin probe microscopy can be a label-free, noncontact alternative to other conventional methods based on fluorescence or chemiluminescence probes, etc. It was confirmed that the proposed photoactive coating enables the antibacterial photodynamic effect based on free radicals released from the surface of the coating. The highest bactericidal efficiency of the proposed coating was 87.16%. This coating can selectively limit the multiplication of bacterial cells, while protecting the environment and reducing the risk of surface contamination.

Bacteria Single-Cell and Photosensitizer Interaction Revealed by Quantitative Phase Imaging.

Quantifying changes in bacteria cells in the presence of antibacterial treatment is one of the main challenges facing contemporary medicine; it is a challenge that is relevant for tackling issues pertaining to bacterial biofilm formation that substantially decreases susceptibility to biocidal agents. Three-dimensional label-free imaging and quantitative analysis of bacteria-photosensitizer interactions, crucial for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, is still limited due to the use of conventional imaging techniques. We present a new method for investigating the alterations in living cells and quantitatively analyzing the process of bacteria photodynamic inactivation. Digital holographic tomography (DHT) was used for in situ examination of the response of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to the accumulation of the photosensitizers immobilized in the copolymer revealed by the changes in the 3D refractive index distributions of single cells. Obtained results were confirmed by confocal microscopy and statistical analysis. We demonstrated that DHT enables real-time characterization of the subcellular structures, the biophysical processes, and the induced local changes of the intracellular density in a label-free manner and at sub-micrometer spatial resolution.

Dual topology of equine arteritis virus GP3 protein and the role of arginine motif RXR in GP3 ER retention.

Glycoprotein 3 (GP3) serves as a structural protein in equine arteritis virus (EAV), forming a heterotrimeric complex that plays a pivotal role in virus tropism. In this study, we tested the membrane topology of GP3, both when expressed separately and during infection with recombinant tagged EAV GP3-HA. In our antibody accessibility experiment, we made a noteworthy discovery: GP3, when expressed separately, exhibits a dual topology. We introduced an additional N-glycosylation site, which was only partially used, providing further evidence for the dual topology of GP3. Intriguingly, this mutated GP3 was secreted into the medium, a result of the disruption of the ER retention motif RXR. The additional glycosylation site was not used when we examined the recombinant EAV virus with the same mutation. Despite the fact of higher expression levels of mutant GP3-HA, the protein was not secreted, and the recombinant mutant virus did not have growth delay compared to the EAV wild-type virus. This finding suggests that GP3 has a single type one membrane topology in virus infected cells, whereas the expression of GP3 in trans results in the dual topology of this protein. The RXR motif in the C-terminus is a co-factor of ER retention of the protein, but the main retention signal remains elusive.

Whole genome sequencing of Fowl aviadenovirus A - a causative agent of gizzard erosion and ulceration, in adult laying hens.

Gizzard erosion and ulceration (GEU) caused by fowl aviadenovirus serotype 1 (FAdV-1) of the species Fowl aviadenovirus A (FAdV-A) represents an economically important problem in poultry production. The disease affects mostly young chicken broilers or layers before production. In this study, an unusual GEU outbreak in a flock of laying hens at 38weeks of age is described. The affected flock showed elevated mortality rates, with the highest number of dead birds appearing between the 39th and 40th week of life, with a subsequent reduction in laying performance and decreased total egg weight. Post-mortem examination showed the presence of erosion in multiple areas of the gizzard, with wall perforation in the proximity of the interventriculus. FAdV antibodies were detected in all examined sera with an ELISA assay. The virus was isolated from pathologically altered gizzards. PCR, subsequent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the partial hexon gene confirmed the presence of FAdV-A DNA. To investigate the molecular background of FAdV-A which causes GEU in adult hens, whole genome sequencing was performed on two FAdV-A strains - strain W-15, obtained from the outbreak described in this study and strain 61/11z, isolated from a GEU outbreak in 3-week-old broiler chickens in 2011. The genome size of FAdV-A W-15 is 43,849bp. Genome sequence and genome organization resembles those of the reference, apathogenic CELO strain and the newly sequenced GEU strain, 61/11z. Most amino acid changes, between CELO and GEU strains, were observed in ORF0, ORF1, ORF14, IVa2, polymerase, pIIIa, penton base and fiber-2. Analysis conducted on the translated ORFs revealed that W-15 and 61/11z are nearly identical, with the highest rate of amino acid mutations in pTP, 100K, ORF9 and ORF10. In this study, the occurrence of GEU, caused by FAdV-1 infection, in adult layer chickens and the effects of such infection on egg production parameters are described in detail. Moreover, the whole genome sequences of two pathogenic, GEU inducing FAdV-A strains have been provided and characterized for the first time, which in the future will help to pinpoint the viral factors involved in pathogenicity.