S-nitrosothiol tethered polymer hexagons: synthesis, characterisation and antibacterial effect

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Controlled nitric oxide (NO) delivery is crucial for therapeutic applications.
• Developing novel biocompatible materials for drug delivery remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new platform for controlled nitric oxide (NO) delivery using S-nitrosothiol (RSNO) conjugated polymers.
• To investigate the structural, chemical, and antimicrobial properties of these novel NO-releasing materials.

Main Methods:

• Grafting S-nitrosothiol derived from cysteine onto poly(vinyl methyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) via solvent displacement.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
• Assessment of bactericidal efficacy against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized hexagonally shaped polymer materials with tunable sizes (μm to nm).
• Confirmed S-nitrosothiol conjugation and structural integrity through various analytical techniques.
• Demonstrated significant bactericidal efficacy of the NO-releasing polymer hexagons against tested bacterial strains.
• Confocal microscopy revealed enhanced bactericidal effects through bacterial membrane destruction.

Conclusions:

• The developed RSNO-conjugated polymer hexagons represent a promising biocompatible platform for controlled NO delivery.
• These novel materials exhibit potent antimicrobial activity, suggesting potential applications in combating bacterial infections.