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Guest Editor

Dr. Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu

Department of Science and Engineereing of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, RO-011061, Bucharest, Romania
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Interests: synthesis and characterization of nanobiomaterials, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, drug targeting; drug delivery; anti-biofilm surfaces; nanomodified surfaces; thin films; natural products

Guest Editor

Dr. Alina Maria Holban

Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Aleea Portocalelor no 1-3, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
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Interests: in vitro and in vivo bioevaluation of nanostructures; microbiology; immunology; molecular biology; alternative methods for modulating virulence; communication and behavior of microbial pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since current antimicrobial approaches are becoming less efficient and the antibiotic resistance phenomenon is emerging, alternative therapies are highly investigated for infection control. Recent progress made in order to limit the development of severe infections show that the modulation of certain bacterial behaviors by using signaling molecules or nanosized structures may reduce pathogenicity and virulence, resulting in mild infections. These small molecules proved their efficiency both in vitro and in vivo studies and are currently considered for the development of alternative and ecological anti-infectious therapies, being mostly represented by natural factors obtained from microbial, plant and even animal cells. Nanotechnology, the science of nanometer sized materials, plays a very important role in the implementation of novel antimicrobial therapies by stabilizing, improving the delivery and efficiency and by reducing side effects of many antimicrobial compounds. Moreover, many nanosized materials proved their antimicrobial efficiency in severe and difficult to treat infections, such as those caused by highly resistant pathogens and biofilm associated infectious diseases. The purpose of this special issue is to reveal the most recent and applicative progress developed on the field of novel antimicrobial approaches by highlighting the impact of signaling molecules and nanostructured biomaterials in the design of future anti-infectious therapies.

Dr. Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Dr. Alina Maria Holban
Guest Editors

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Keywords

signaling molecules
antimicrobial nanoparticles
anti-biofilm nanocoatings
molecular communication
virulence modulation
natural antibiotics
drug-delivery

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle pH-Dependent Antimicrobial Properties of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in Staphylococcus aureus

by Yi-Huang Hsueh, Ping-Han Tsai and Kuen-Song Lin

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18(4), 793; doi:10.3390/ijms18040793

Received: 6 March 2017 / Revised: 30 March 2017 / Accepted: 3 April 2017 / Published: 8 April 2017

Cited by 2 | PDF Full-text (3616 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text | Supplementary Files

Abstract

[...] Read more.

The antimicrobial properties of CuO nanoparticles have been investigated, but the underlying mechanisms of toxicity remain the subject of debate. Here, we show that CuO nanoparticles exhibit significant toxicity at pH 5 against four different Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains, including Newman, SA113, USA300, and ATCC6538. At this pH, but not at pH 6 and 7, 5 mM CuO nanoparticles effectively caused reduction of SA113 and Newman cells and caused at least 2 log reduction, whereas 20 mM killed most strains but not USA300. At 5 mM, the nanoparticles were also found to dramatically decrease reductase activity in SA113, Newman, and ATCC6538 cells, but not USA300 cells. In addition, analysis of X-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended X-ray absorption fine structure confirmed that S. aureus cells exposed to CuO nanoparticles contain CuO, indicating that Cu²⁺ ions released from nanoparticles penetrate bacterial cells and are subsequently oxidized intracellularly to CuO at mildly acidic pH. The CuO nanoparticles were more soluble at pH 5 than at pH 6 and 7. Taken together, the data conclusively show that the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles in mildly acidic pH is caused by Cu²⁺ release, and that USA300 is more resistant to CuO nanoparticles (NPs) than the other three strains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Signaling and Nanobiotechnology: Prospects for Future Antimicrobial Therapy)

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Open AccessArticle Interaction of New-Developed TiO₂-Based Photocatalytic Nanoparticles with Pathogenic Microorganisms and Human Dermal and Pulmonary Fibroblasts

by Ionela Cristina Nica, Miruna Silvia Stan, Marcela Popa, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Veronica Lazar, Gratiela G. Pircalabioru, Iuliana Dumitrescu, Madalina Ignat, Marcel Feder, Liviu Cristian Tanase, Ionel Mercioniu, Lucian Diamandescu and Anca Dinischiotu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18(2), 249; doi:10.3390/ijms18020249

Received: 29 November 2016 / Revised: 13 January 2017 / Accepted: 16 January 2017 / Published: 25 January 2017

Cited by 2 | PDF Full-text (7668 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

[...] Read more.

TiO₂-based photocatalysts were obtained during previous years in order to limit pollution and to ease human daily living conditions due to their special properties. However, obtaining biocompatible photocatalysts is still a key problem, and the mechanism of their toxicity recently received increased attention. Two types of TiO₂ nanoparticles co-doped with 1% of iron and nitrogen (TiO₂-1% Fe–N) atoms were synthesized in hydrothermal conditions at pH of 8.5 (HT1) and 5.5 (HT2), and their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects exerted on human pulmonary and dermal fibroblasts were assessed. These particles exhibited significant microbicidal and anti-biofilm activity, suggesting their potential application for microbial decontamination of different environments. In addition, our results demonstrated the biocompatibility of TiO₂-1% Fe–N nanoparticles at low doses on lung and dermal cells, which may initiate oxidative stress through dose accumulation. Although no significant changes were observed between the two tested photocatalysts, the biological response was cell type specific and time- and dose-dependent; the lung cells proved to be more sensitive to nanoparticle exposure. Taken together, these experimental data provide useful information for future photocatalytic applications in the industrial, food, pharmaceutical, and medical fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Signaling and Nanobiotechnology: Prospects for Future Antimicrobial Therapy)

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