Photo induced mechanistic activity of GO/Zn(Cu)O nanocomposite against infectious pathogens: Potential application in...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance poses a significant challenge in wound healing, necessitating alternative antimicrobial strategies.
• Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) utilizes photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for targeted pathogen destruction.
• Conventional antibiotics face limitations due to increasing microbial resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate biocompatible graphene oxide/zinc oxide nanocomposites (GO/Zn(Cu)O) as photosensitizers for aPDT.
• To investigate the efficacy of GO/Zn(Cu)O nanocomposites against a panel of common wound pathogens.
• To elucidate the mechanism of bacterial inhibition mediated by ROS generation.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of GO/Zn(Cu)O nanocomposite via co-precipitation.
• Antimicrobial efficacy testing using well diffusion, growth curves, colony counts, and biofilm assays.
• Mechanism of action studies including ROS assays, LDH leakage, protein estimation, and membrane integrity tests.

Main Results:

• GO/Zn(Cu)O nanocomposites demonstrated enhanced visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity.
• Significant inhibition of bacterial growth and biofilm formation was observed for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under visible light.
• ROS generation, membrane damage, and protein leakage confirmed the mechanism of bacterial cell death.

Conclusions:

• GO/Zn(Cu)O nanocomposites are promising photosensitizers for aPDT in wound infection treatment.
• The material exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against key wound pathogens.
• This approach offers a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics, addressing the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.