Magnetic Removal of Candida albicans Using Salivary Peptide-Functionalized SPIONs

• Published in: International journal of nanomedicine Vol. 18; pp. 3231 - 3246
• Main Authors: Friedrich, Bernhard, Tietze, Rainer, Dümig, Michaela, Sover, Alexandru, Boca, Marius-Andrei, Schreiber, Eveline, Band, Julia, Janko, Christina, Krappmann, Sven, Alexiou, Christoph, Lyer, Stefan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2023; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Analysis; Antifungal agents; candida albicans; Candida albicans - isolation & purification; Ferric oxide; fungal sepsis; gp340; Humans; Infection; Iron compounds; Magnetic fields; Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles; Magnetic Phenomena; Magnetic properties; microbiological identification; Original Research; Peptides; Salivary Proteins and Peptides; spions; Technology application; Germany; Candida albicans; fungal sepsis; SPIONs; GP340; microbiological identification
• ISSN: 1178-2013; 1176-9114; 1178-2013
• DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S409559

Magnetic separation of microbes can be an effective tool for pathogen identification and diagnostic applications to reduce the time needed for sample preparation. After peptide functionalization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with an appropriate interface, they can be used for the separation of sepsis-associated yeasts like . Due to their magnetic properties, the magnetic extraction of the particles in the presence of an external magnetic field ensures the accumulation of the targeted yeast. In this study, we used SPIONs coated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and functionalized with a peptide originating from GP340 (SPION-APTES-Pep). For the first time, we investigate whether this system is suitable for the separation and enrichment of , we investigated its physicochemical properties and by thermogravimetric analysis we determined the amount of peptide on the SPIONs. Further, the toxicological profile was evaluated by recording cell cycle and DNA degradation. The separation efficiency was investigated using in different experimental settings, and regrowth experiments were carried out to show the use of SPION-APTES-Pep as a sample preparation method for the identification of fungal infections. SPION-APTES-Pep can magnetically remove more than 80% of the microorganism and with a high selective host-pathogen distinction from water-based media and about 55% in blood after 8 minutes processing without compromising effects on the cell cycle of human blood cells. Moreover, the separated fungal cells could be regrown without any restrictions.