title: Inhibition of group A streptococcus infection by carboxyfullerene.
abstract: The effect of a water-soluble trimalonic acid derivative of fullerene, carboxyfullerene, against Streptococcus pyogenes infection was tested. Pretreatment with carboxyfullerene was able to protect mice from S. pyogenes infection in an air pouch model. S. pyogenes-induced death and skin injury were inhibited dose dependently by carboxyfullerene. Administration of carboxyfullerene via the peritoneum and air pouch at 3 h post-S. pyogenes infection was able to protect 33% of mice from death. Surveys of exudates of the air pouch of carboxyfullerene-treated mice revealed that survival of infiltrating neutrophils was prolonged and that the bacteria were eliminated as a result of enhanced bactericidal activity of the neutrophils. Furthermore, carboxyfullerene was able to directly inhibit in vitro growth of S. pyogenes. These data suggest that carboxyfullerene can be considered an antimicrobial agent for group A streptococcus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Luh
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; C433784:carboxyfullerene C63(COOH)6