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Author Spotlight: Metallic Nanocomposites to Eliminate Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Published on: October 4, 2024
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Biocompatible nano-gallium/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite with antimicrobial activity
Mario Kurtjak1,2, Marija Vukomanović3, Lovro Kramer4,5
1Jožef Stefan Institute, Advanced Materials Department, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia. mario.kurtjak@ijs.si.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine
|October 6, 2016
Summary
Gallium nanoparticles in a hydroxyapatite composite show potent antibacterial effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with reduced toxicity to human cells. This novel biomaterial offers a promising alternative for preventing implant-associated infections.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Infectious Disease Research
Background:
- Metallic and metal-oxide nanomaterials exhibit antimicrobial properties, addressing antibiotic resistance.
- High antibacterial activity often correlates with significant cytotoxicity to mammalian cells, posing a challenge for medical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel nanocomposite using gallium nanoparticles (Ga NPs) and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanorods.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy and cytotoxicity of the HA-Ga NP nanocomposite compared to a HA-silver NP (Ag NP) composite.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a nanocomposite material comprising 84 wt% hydroxyapatite nanorods and 16 wt% elemental gallium nanospheres (22 ± 11 nm diameter).
- In vitro assessment of antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation using human lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) and mouse fibroblasts (L929).
Main Results:
- The HA-Ga NP nanocomposite demonstrated superior antibacterial properties against P. aeruginosa compared to the HA-Ag NP composite.
- The HA-Ga NP nanocomposite exhibited significantly lower in vitro cytotoxicity towards IMR-90 and L929 cells.
- Effective antibacterial action and low toxicity were observed for the HA-Ga NP composite at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1 g/L.
Conclusions:
- This study reports the first biomaterial composite incorporating gallium nanoparticles.
- The developed HA-Ga NP nanocomposite presents a promising solution for combating bacterial infections with reduced host cell toxicity.
- The material is a strong candidate for preventing implant-induced infections, particularly those caused by P. aeruginosa.
