Bactericidal Peptidomimetic Polyurethanes with Remarkable Selectivity against Escherichia coli

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Antimicrobial Research
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Rising antimicrobial resistance necessitates novel therapeutic agents.
• Host defense peptides (antimicrobial peptides) show promise but have limitations.
• Peptidomimetics offer a potential alternative to traditional antimicrobials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate peptidomimetic polyurethanes with antibacterial properties.
• To assess the efficacy of these polymers against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
• To determine the cytotoxicity of these novel materials towards mammalian cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of peptidomimetic polyurethanes mimicking lysine and valine residues.
• Evaluation of antibacterial activity against *Escherichia coli* and *Staphylococcus aureus*.
• Assessment of cytotoxicity using mammalian cell lines and hemocompatibility assays.

Main Results:

• Polyurethanes demonstrated high bactericidal activity against *E. coli*.
• Polymers with high lysine-mimicking group concentrations showed minimal mammalian cell toxicity.
• Comparative studies indicated comparable or superior hemocompatibility and lower toxicity than pexiganan.

Conclusions:

• Peptidomimetic polyurethanes represent a promising new class of synthetic antimicrobial polymers.
• These materials exhibit selective bactericidal activity against *E. coli*.
• The developed polyurethanes offer a favorable safety profile with low mammalian cell toxicity.