Two-Sided Antibacterial Cellulose Combining Probiotics and Silver Nanoparticles

• Main Authors: Laura Sabio, Andrea Sosa, José M. Delgado-López, José M. Dominguez-Vera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: bacterial cellulose; Ag nanoparticles; probiotics; antibiotic-resistant bacteria
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/10/2848

The constant increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria demands the design of novel antibiotic-free materials. The combination of antibacterials in a biocompatible biomaterial is a very promising strategy to treat infections caused by a broader spectrum of resistant pathogens. Here, we combined two antibacterials, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and living probiotics (<i>Lactobacillus fermentum</i>, <i>Lf</i>), using bacterial cellulose (BC) as scaffold. By controlling the loading of each antibacterial at opposite BC sides, we obtained a two-sided biomaterial (AgNP-BC-<i>Lf</i>) with a high density of alive and metabolically active probiotics on one surface and AgNPs on the opposite one, being probiotics well preserved from the killer effect of AgNPs. The resulting two-sided biomaterial was characterized by Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). The antibacterial capacity against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (<i>PA</i>), an opportunistic pathogen responsible for a broad range of skin infections, was also assessed by agar diffusion tests in pathogen-favorable media. Results showed an enhanced activity against <i>PA</i> when both antibacterials were combined into BC (AgNP-BC-<i>Lf</i>) with respect to BC containing only one of the antibacterials, BC-<i>Lf</i> or AgNP-BC. Therefore, AgNP-BC-<i>Lf</i> is an antibiotic-free biomaterial that can be useful for the therapy of topical bacterial infections.