title: Anti-biofilm efficacy of nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles.
abstract: The ability of nitric oxide (NO)-releasing silica nanoparticles to kill biofilm-based microbial cells is reported. Biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Candida albicans were formed in vitro and exposed to NO-releasing silica nanoparticles. Replicative viability experiments revealed that >or= 99% of cells from each type of biofilm were killed via NO release, with the greatest efficacy (>or= 99.999% killing) against gram-negative P. aeruginosa and E. coli biofilms. Cytotoxicity testing demonstrated that the highest dose of NO-releasing silica nanoparticles inhibited fibroblast proliferation to a lesser extent than clinical concentrations of currently administered antiseptics (e.g., chlorhexidine) with proven wound-healing benefits. This study demonstrates the promise of employing nanoparticles for delivering an antimicrobial agent to microbial biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Evan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hetrick
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Heather S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schoenfisch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D005347:Fibroblasts; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide