Antifungal hydrogels.
Fungi are increasingly identified as major pathogens in bloodstream infections, often involving indwelling devices. Materials with antifungal properties may provide an important deterrent to these infections. Here we describe amphogel, a dextran-based hydrogel into which amphotericin B is adsorbed. Amphogel kills fungi within 2 h of contact and can be reused for at least 53 days without losing its effectiveness against Candida albicans. The antifungal material is biocompatible in vivo and does not cause hemolysis in human blood. Amphogel inoculated with C. albicans and implanted in mice prevents fungal infection. Amphogel also mitigates fungal biofilm formation. An antifungal matrix with these properties could be used to coat a variety of medical devices such as catheters as well as industrial surfaces.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, and University Hospitals of Cleveland, OH, USA.
Andreas
A
Zumbuehl
Lino
L
Ferreira
Duncan
D
Kuhn
Anna
A
Astashkina
Lisa
L
Long
Yoon
Y
Yeo
Tiffany
T
Iaconis
Mahmoud
M
Ghannoum
Gerald R
GR
Fink
Robert
R
Langer
Daniel S
DS
Kohane
D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003911:Dextrans; D020100:Hydrogels; D000666:Amphotericin B