Electroceutical Silk-Silver Gel to Eradicate Bacterial Infection

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health threat, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.
• Synergistic strategies targeting bacteria through multiple mechanisms are crucial for effective treatment.
• Electrical stimulation combined with antimicrobial agents shows promise for enhanced bactericidal effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an injectable conductive gel incorporating silk fibroin and silver nanoparticles for treating bacterial infections.
• To investigate the synergistic antibacterial efficacy of the silk fibroin/silver nanoparticle gel when combined with low electrical current.
• To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced bactericidal activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of an injectable conductive gel using silk fibroin and silver nanoparticles (SF/Ag-NPs).
• Evaluation of the gel's conductivity and antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli.
• Assessment of cytotoxicity toward Chinese hamster ovary cells.
• Analysis of silver ion release and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production under electrical stimulation.

Main Results:

• The SF/Ag-NPs gel exhibited high conductivity (1.5 S cm⁻¹).
• The gel demonstrated rapid killing of 80% of Escherichia coli within 1 minute.
• No significant toxicity was observed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
• Electrical current application resulted in a 50% increase in ROS generation, enhancing the bactericidal effect.

Conclusions:

• The developed SF/Ag-NPs conductive gel is a promising biomaterial for combating bacterial contamination.
• The combination of the gel with low electrical current offers a synergistic approach to bacterial eradication.
• The enhanced efficacy is attributed to increased silver ion release and significantly higher ROS production.