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A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries
Published on: December 27, 2016
Main-Chain Sulfonium-Containing Homopolymers with Negligible Hemolytic Toxicity for Eradication of Bacterial and
Xiao Wang1, Guixian Wang1, Jinghua Zhao1
1Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Antimicrobials against planktonic cells and established biofilms at low doses are in increasing demand to tackle antibiotic-resistant biofilm infections. As a promising alternative to antibiotics, cationic polymers can effectively kill planktonic microbes but usually require high concentrations to eradicate the established biofilms. Herein, we developed a series of sulfonium-based homopolymers with cationic sulfoniums and alkane spacers in the main chain. These polysulfoniums presented effective activity against planktonic fungi (Candida albicans) and bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) with minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of 0.5-32 μg/mL, and the optimal composition can provide an 80-90% reduction in biofilm mass and >99% killing of Candida albicans and Escherichia coli cells in 3-day mature biofilms at 2 × MIC as well as steadily low hemolytic toxicity. The influence of amphiphilicity and charge density of polysulfonium homopolymers on their antimicrobial activity against planktonic microbes and mature biofilms was investigated to provide insights for effective antimicrobial polymer design.
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