The molecular basis of inactivation of metronidazole-resistant Helicobacter pylori using polyethyleneimine functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles

In view of the world wide prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, its potentially serious consequences, and the increasing emergence of antibiotic resistant H. pylori strains there is an urgent need for the development of alternative strategies to combat the infection. In this study it has been demonstrated that polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) inhibit the growth of a metronidazole-resistant strain of H. pylori and the molecular basis of the anti-bacterial activity of ZnO-PEI NP has been investigated. The ZnO-PEI NP was synthesized using a wet chemical method with a core size of approximately 3-7 nm. Internalization and distribution of ZnO-PEI NP without agglomeration was observed in H. pylori cytosol by electron microscopy. Several lines of evidence including scanning electron microscopy, propidium iodide uptake and ATP assay indicate severe membrane damage in ZnO-PEI NP treated H. pylori. Intracellular ROS generation increased rapidly following the treatment of H. pylori with ZnO-PEI NP and extensive degradation of 16S and 23S rRNA was observed by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR. Finally, considerable synergy between ZnO-PEI NP and antibiotics was observed and it has been demonstrated that the concentration of ZnO-PEI NP (20 µg/ml) that is non-toxic to human cells could be used in combination with sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics for the inhibition of H. pylori growth.