Exploring chitosan nanoparticles as effective inhibitors of antibiotic resistant skin microorganisms – From in vitro to ex vitro testing

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 201; pp. 340 - 346
• Main Authors: Costa, Eduardo M., Silva, Sara, Veiga, Mariana, Tavaria, Freni K., Pintado, Maria M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii - growth & development; Acinetobacter Infections - drug therapy; Acinetobacter Infections - microbiology; Antibiofilm; antibiotic resistance; antibiotics; Antimicrobial; biofilm; Cell Line; chitosan; Chitosan - chemistry; Chitosan - pharmacology; Chitosan nanoparticles; cross infection; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - drug effects; HaCat infection; Humans; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Keratinocytes - microbiology; Keratinocytes - pathology; MDR; microorganisms; nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanoparticles - therapeutic use; pathogens; plankton; plate count; quorum sensing; Skin Diseases, Bacterial - drug therapy; Skin Diseases, Bacterial - microbiology; Antimicrobial; MDR; HaCat infection; Chitosan nanoparticles; Antibiofilm
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.08.083

•Chitosan nanoparticles inhibited planktonic and sessile growth.•Nanoparticles had an average MIC of 1.5 mg/mL and an average MBC of 4.2 mg/mL.•NPs produced, on average, biofilm formation inhibitions superior to 50%.•Nanoparticles effectively disrupt the C. violaceum quorum sensing reporter system.•Nanoparticles had bactericidal activity upon A. baumannii in a HaCat infection model. Nowadays, nosocomial skin infections are increasingly harder to manage and control. In the search for new, natural compounds capable of being alternatives to traditional antibiotics, chitosan and its nanoparticles, have garnered attention. This work sought to understand the potential of chitosan NPs in the management of infections caused by MDR skin pathogens in planktonic and sessile assays. Additionally, NPs’ capacity to inhibit biofilm quorum sensing and prevent HaCat infections was also evaluated. The results obtained showed that chitosan NPs had an average size and charge of 226.6 ± 5.24 nm and +27.1 ± 3.09 mV. Inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations varied between 1 and 2 mg/mL and 2–7 mg/mL, respectively. Chitosan NPs effectively inhibited biofilm growth for all microorganisms and possessed strong anti-quorum sensing activity. Lastly, chitosan NPs proved to be effective interfere with A. baumannii’s infection of HaCat cells, as they significantly reduced intracellular and extracellular bacterial counts.