Dual Drug Loaded pH-sensitive Micelles for Efficient Bacterial Infection Treatment

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection at impaired wound is associated with high risks of developing to persistent bacterial infections since bacterial biofilm is easy to form in MRSA infected wounds. An advanced therapeutic approach to effectively penetrate and eliminate bacterial biofilm and to accelerate cell proliferation and migration at the wound is crucial.

The poly(ε-caprolactone)-monomethoxyl poly (ethylene glycol) (PCL-mPEG) micelles loaded with Quercetin and Rifampicin (QRMs) were prepared. Bacterial biofilm proliferation and elimination effect of QRMs were evaluated with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Antibacterial assay was further performed to detect antibacterial activity and mechanism. The cell scratch assay and cellular uptake were performed in HaCaT skin epithelial cells.

Our results showed that the small sized QRMs could penetrate the interior of MRSA biofilm to disperse and eradicate biofilm. Then, antibiotics are released and accumulated in the acidic biofilm environment. QRMs could kill bacteria through increasing bacterial membrane permeability and altering membrane potential and membrane fluidity. Moreover, QRMs improved intracellular and cytoplasmic delivery efficiency of drugs to epithelial cells, and in the scratch test, presented a stronger ability to promote migration and proliferation of HaCaT cells compared with free drugs. Hemolysis test further proved good biocompatibility of QRMs.

QRMs could potentially be used as a novel dual-functional nanotherapeutic for anti-bacterial infection by eradicating biofilm and accelerating cells proliferation at MRSA infected wound.