title: Photodynamic inactivation of biofilm: taking a lightly colored approach to stubborn infection.
abstract: Microbial biofilms are responsible for a variety of microbial infections in different parts of the body, such as urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, gingivitis, caries, periodontitis, orthopedic implants, and so on. The microbial biofilm cells have properties and gene expression patterns distinct from planktonic cells, including phenotypic variations in enzymic activity, cell wall composition and surface structure, which increase the resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial treatments. There is consequently an urgent need for new approaches to attack biofilm-associated microorganisms, and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) may be a promising candidate. aPDT involves the combination of a nontoxic dye and low-intensity visible light which, in the presence of oxygen, produces cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. It has been demonstrated that many biofilms are susceptible to aPDT, particularly in dental disease. This review will focus on aspects of aPDT that are designed to increase efficiency against biofilms modalities to enhance penetration of photosensitizer into biofilm, and a combination of aPDT with biofilm-disrupting agents.
authors.affiliation: The Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Wanessa C M A
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Milene Nóbrega
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Asheesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Magesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadasivam
authors.forename: Rakkiyappan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Livia R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Perussi
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Tegos
authors.forename: Janice R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Perussi
authors.forename: Tianhong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D045725:Tetrapyrroles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D045725:Tetrapyrroles