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Photodynamic and Antibiotic Therapy in Combination to Fight Biofilms and Resistant Surface Bacterial Infections

Authors :
Giovanna Maria Pierantoni
Giuseppe Palumbo
Maria Rosaria Catania
Emanuela Roscetto
Ilaria Postiglione
Adriana Vollaro
Amata A. Soriano
Federica Barra
Barra, Federica
Roscetto, Emanuela
Soriano, AMATA AMY
Vollaro, Adriana
Postiglione, Ilaria
Pierantoni, GIOVANNA MARIA
Palumbo, Giuseppe
Catania, MARIA ROSARIA
Source :
International journal of molecular sciences, 16 (2015): 20417–20430., info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Barra, Federica; Roscetto, Emanuela; Soriano, Amata A.; Vollaro, Adriana; Postiglione, Ilaria; Pierantoni, Giovanna Maria; Palumbo, Giuseppe; Catania, Maria Rosaria/titolo:Photodynamic and Antibiotic Therapy in Combination to Fight Biofilms and Resistant Surface Bacterial Infections/doi:/rivista:International journal of molecular sciences (Print)/anno:2015/pagina_da:20417/pagina_a:20430/intervallo_pagine:20417–20430/volume:16, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 16, Iss 9, Pp 20417-20430 (2015), Volume 16, Issue 9, Pages 20417-20430
Publication Year :
2015
Publisher :
Molecular Diversity Preservation International MDPI, Basel (Matthaeustrasse 11), 2015.

Abstract

Although photodynamic therapy (PDT), a therapeutic approach that involves a photosensitizer, light and O2, has been principally considered for the treatment of specific types of cancers, other applications exist, including the treatment of infections. Unfortunately, PDT does not always guarantee full success since it exerts lethal effects only in cells that have taken up a sufficient amount of photosensitizer and have been exposed to adequate light doses, conditions that are not always achieved. Based on our previous experience on the combination PDT/chemotherapy, we have explored the possibility of fighting bacteria that commonly crowd infected surfaces by combining PDT with an antibiotic, which normally does not harm the strain at low concentrations. To this purpose, we employed 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a pro-drug that, once absorbed by proliferating bacteria, is converted into the natural photosensitizer Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), followed by Gentamicin. Photoactivation generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damage or kill the cell, while Gentamicin, even at low doses, ends the work. Our experiments, in combination, have been highly successful against biofilms produced by several Gram positive bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, etc.). This original approach points to potentially new and wide applications in the therapy of infections of superficial wounds and sores.

Details

Language :
English
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International journal of molecular sciences, 16 (2015): 20417–20430., info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Barra, Federica; Roscetto, Emanuela; Soriano, Amata A.; Vollaro, Adriana; Postiglione, Ilaria; Pierantoni, Giovanna Maria; Palumbo, Giuseppe; Catania, Maria Rosaria/titolo:Photodynamic and Antibiotic Therapy in Combination to Fight Biofilms and Resistant Surface Bacterial Infections/doi:/rivista:International journal of molecular sciences (Print)/anno:2015/pagina_da:20417/pagina_a:20430/intervallo_pagine:20417–20430/volume:16, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 16, Iss 9, Pp 20417-20430 (2015), Volume 16, Issue 9, Pages 20417-20430
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....6f72df7e0d80637cd767089a7ff07c4b