Quaternary ammonium-tethered hyperbranched polyurea nanoassembly synergized with antibiotics for enhanced antimicrobial efficacy

• Published in: Biomaterials science Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 1185 - 1196
• Main Authors: Feng, Yanwen, Bian, Jiang, Yu, Guoyi, Zhao, Pei, Yue, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 27.02.2024
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Biofilms; Effectiveness; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Polymers; Polyureas; Rifampin - pharmacology; Wound healing
• ISSN: 2047-4830; 2047-4849
• DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01519j

The effective transportation of antibiotics to bacteria embedded within a biofilm consisting of a dense matrix of extracellular polymeric substances is still a challenge in the treatment of bacterial biofilm associated infections. Here, we developed an antibiotic nanocarrier constructed from quaternary ammonium-tethered hyperbranched polyureas (HPUs-QA), which showed high loading capacity for a model antibiotic, rifampicin, and high efficacy in the transportation of rifampicin to biofilms. The rifampicin-loaded HPUs-QA nanoassembly (HPUs-Rif/QA) demonstrated a synergistic antimicrobial effect in killing planktonic bacteria and eradicating the corresponding biofilms. Compared to the treatment of bacteria-infected chronic wounds by either HPUs-QA or rifampicin alone, HPUs-Rif/QA showed superior efficacy in promoting wound healing by more effectively inhibiting bacteria colonization. This study highlights the potential of the HPUs-QA nanoassembly in synergistic action with antibiotics for the treatment of biofilm associated infections. The rifampicin-loaded HPUs-QA nanoassembly (HPUs-Rif/QA) demonstrated a synergistic antimicrobial effect in killing planktonic bacteria and eradicating the corresponding biofilms.