Silver-coated carbon nanotubes downregulate the expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence genes: a potential mechanism for their antimicrobial effect

International Journal of Nanomedicine
Ejovwoke DosunmuShreekumar Pillai

Abstract

The antimicrobial activity of silver-coated carbon nanotubes (AgCNTs) and their potential mode of action against mucoid and nonmucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated in vitro. The results showed that AgCNTs exhibited antimicrobial activity against both strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations of approximately 8 µg/mL, indicating a high sensitivity of P. aeruginosa to AgCNTs. AgCNTs were also bactericidal against both strains at the same minimum inhibitory concentration. Scanning and transmission electron-microscopy studies further revealed that a majority of the cells treated with AgCNTs transformed from smooth rod-shape morphology to disintegrated cells with broken/damaged membranes, resulting in leakage of cytoplasmic contents to produce ghost cells. The molecular effects of AgCNTs on P. aeruginosa genes involved in virulence and pathogenicity, stress response, and efflux pumps were evaluated for changes in their expression. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that after exposure to AgCNTs, the expression levels of the rpoS, rsmZ, and oprD genes were significantly downregulated in both strains of P. aeruginosa compared to the untreated samples. These results suggest that the mechanism of actio...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 24, 2016·Dalton Transactions : an International Journal of Inorganic Chemistry·João M S CardosoM Fernanda N N Carvalho
Jul 3, 2018·Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin·Genki WatanabeMasami Kawase
Mar 30, 2018·Drug Delivery and Translational Research·Mazzura Wan ChikK Byrappa

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
scanning
transmission electron microscopy
PCR

Software Mentioned

SigmaPlot

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