Kerriann Greenhalgh

In vivo studies of polyacrylate nanoparticle emulsions for topical and systemic applications

We have recently reported on a new nanomedicine containing antibiotic-conjugated polyacrylate nanoparticles, which has shown activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro and no cytotoxicity toward human dermal cells. The water-based nanoparticle emulsion is capable of solubilizing lipophilic antibiotics for systemic administration, and the nanoparticle drug delivery vehicle has shown protective properties for antibiotics from hydrolytic cleavage by bacterial penicillinases, thus rejuvenating the drugs activity against resistant microbes such as MRSA. Here we report the first in vivo study of this penicillin-conjugated nanoparticle emulsion in determining toxicological responses initiated upon systemic and topical application in a murine model. Favorable results were observed in vivo upon both routes of administration and, when topically applied to a dermal abrasion model, the emulsion enhanced wound healing by an average of 3 to 5 days. This study suggests that polyacrylate nanoparticle-containing emulsions may afford promising opportunities for treating both skin and systemic infections.

Studies on the antifungal properties of N-thiolated β-lactams

N-thiolated beta-lactams had previously been shown to have antibacterial activity against a narrow selection of pathogenic bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis, as well as apoptotic-inducing activity in a variety of human cancer cell lines. We now have found that these lactams also possess antifungal activity against Candida and other fungi by exerting powerful cytostatic effects that disrupt the structural integrity of cytoplasmic membranes. The mode of action and structure-activity trends of these lactams as antifungals parallel that previously seen in our antibacterial studies.

Unsymmetric aryl–alkyl disulfide growth inhibitors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis

This study describes the antibacterial properties of synthetically produced mixed aryl-alkyl disulfide compounds as a means to control the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis. Some of these compounds exerted strong in vitro bioactivity. Our results indicate that among the 12 different aryl substituents examined, nitrophenyl derivatives provide the strongest antibiotic activities. This may be the result of electronic activation of the arylthio moiety as a leaving group for nucleophilic attack on the disulfide bond. Small alkyl residues on the other sulfur provide the best activity as well, which for different bacteria appears to be somewhat dependent on the nature of the alkyl moiety. The mechanism of action of these lipophilic disulfides is likely similar to that of previously reported N-thiolated beta-lactams, which have been shown to produce alkyl-CoA disulfides through a thiol-disulfide exchange within the cytoplasm, ultimately inhibiting type II fatty acid synthesis. However, the mixed alkyl-CoA disulfides themselves show no antibacterial activity, presumably due to the inability of the highly polar compounds to cross the bacterial cell membrane. These structurally simple disulfides have been found to inhibit beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III, or FabH, a key enzyme in type II fatty acid biosynthesis, and thus may serve as new leads to the development of effective antibacterials for MRSA and anthrax infections.

Methods for purifying and detoxifying sodium dodecyl sulfate–stabilized polyacrylate nanoparticles

Recent research in our laboratory has centered on studies of polyacrylate and polyacrylamide nanoparticle emulsions for use in antibiotic delivery. Our goal is to develop these nanoparticle emulsions for treatment of life-threatening bacterial infections such as those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. For this intended application it is necessary to ensure that the biological activity of the emulsion is due only to the drug attached to the polymeric chain and not to any extraneous components. To investigate this we evaluated cytotoxicity and microbiological activity of the nanoparticle emulsions before and after purification by centrifugation, dialysis, and gel filtration. Depending on the amount of surfactant used, all or most of the microbial and cellular toxicity can be removed by a simple purification procedure.