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Bacteria-specific pro-photosensitizer kills multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Source :
-
Communications biology [Commun Biol] 2021 Mar 25; Vol. 4 (1), pp. 408. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Mar 25. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has become a real threat and we are fast running out of treatment options. A combinatory strategy is explored here to eradicate multidrug-resistant Staphlococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa including planktonic cells, established biofilms, and persisters as high as 7.5 log bacteria in less than 30 min. Blue-laser and thymol together rapidly sterilized acute infected or biofilm-associated wounds and successfully prevented systematic dissemination in mice. Mechanistically, blue-laser and thymol instigated oxidative bursts exclusively in bacteria owing to abundant proporphyrin-like compounds produced in bacteria over mammalian cells, which transformed harmless thymol into blue-laser sensitizers, thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone. Photo-excitations of thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone augmented reactive oxygen species production and initiated a torrent of cytotoxic events in bacteria while completely sparing the host tissue. The investigation unravels a previously unappreciated property of thymol as a pro-photosensitizer analogous to a prodrug that is activated only in bacteria.
- Subjects :
- Benzoquinones metabolism
Biofilms drug effects
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus drug effects
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus physiology
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus radiation effects
Plankton drug effects
Pseudomonas aeruginosa physiology
Staphylococcus aureus physiology
Thymol analogs & derivatives
Thymol metabolism
Lasers
Photosensitizing Agents pharmacology
Pseudomonas aeruginosa drug effects
Pseudomonas aeruginosa radiation effects
Staphylococcus aureus drug effects
Staphylococcus aureus radiation effects
Thymol pharmacology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2399-3642
- Volume :
- 4
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Communications biology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33767385
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01956-y