Antibacterial and antibiofilm effect of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles on P. aeruginosa variants isolated from young patients with cystic fibrosis

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis Vol. 195; p. 106854
• Main Authors: Konkuri, Mona, Kharrazi, Sharmin, Erfani, Yousef, Haghighat, Setareh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Amikacin - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biofilm; Biofilms - drug effects; Biofilms - growth & development; Cystic fibrosis; Cystic Fibrosis - complications; Cystic Fibrosis - microbiology; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - drug effects; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Pharynx - microbiology; pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - genetics; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - isolation & purification; Pseudomonas Infections - microbiology; Quorum Sensing - drug effects; Sputum - microbiology; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Zinc Oxide - pharmacology; ZnO nanoparticles; Biofilm; pseudomonas aeruginosa; Cystic fibrosis; ZnO nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106854

P. aeruginosa, a biofilm-forming bacteria, is the main cause of pulmonary infection in CF patients. We applied ZnO-np as a therapeutic agent for eradicating multi-drug resistance and biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa isolated from young CF patients. A total of 73 throat and sputum samples taken from young CF patients were inquired. ZnO-np was synthesized and characterized in terms of size, shape, and structure for anti-bacterial activity. The antibiotic susceptibility of isolates before and after the addition of 16 μg/ml of ZnO was evaluated using disc diffusion and microtiter methods, respectively. The gene expression level of QS genes was assessed after treatment with 16 μg/ml ZnO-np. The optimum concentration of ZnO-np with a higher inhibitory zone was 16 μg/ml (MIC) and 32 μg/ml (MBC). All isolates were resistant to applied antibiotics, and about 45 % of isolates were strong biofilm-forming bacteria. After treatment with 16 μg/ml ZnO-np, all strains became susceptible to the applied antibiotic except for amikacin, which confers an intermediate pattern. About 63 % and 20 % of isolates were, respectively, non-biofilm and weak biofilm-forming bacteria following the addition of ZnO-np. Relative gene expression of gacA, lasR, and rhlR genes were downregulated significantly (P < 0.001). Although the retS did not have a significant reduction (P = 0.2) ZnO-np at a concentration of 16 μg/ml could significantly reduce the P. aeruginosa infection by altering the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and inhibiting biofilm formation. Due to their photocatalytic properties and their ability to penetrate the extracellular polysaccharide layer, ZnO nanoparticles can produce ROS, which increases their susceptibility to antibiotics. Nasal delivery of ZnO-np in the form of aerosol can be considered a potential strategy to decrease the mortality rate in CF patients at an early age. •1-The ZnO nanoparticles can significantly reduce the P. aeruginosa infection by altering the antibiotic susceptibility pattern.•2- The ZnO nanoparticles can significantly reduce P. aeruginosa infection by inhibiting biofilm formation.•3-The ZnO nanoparticles can produce ROS, which increases P. aeruginosa susceptibility to antibiotics.•The ZnO nanoparticles can render the down-regulation of quorum-sensing genes, confirming the antibiofilm properties of ZnO-np on P. aeruginosa.