title: Synergistic co-delivery of membrane-disrupting polymers with commercial antibiotics against highly opportunistic bacteria.
abstract: A series of vitamin E-containing biodegradable antimicrobial cationic polycarbonates is designed and synthesized via controlled organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization. The incorporation of vitamin E significantly enhances antimicrobial activity. These polymers demonstrate broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various microbes, e.g., S. aureus (Gram-positive), E-coli (Gram-negative) and C. albicans (fungi). More importantly, the co-delivery of such polymers with selected antibiotics (e.g., doxycycline) shows high synergism towards difficult-to-kill bacteria P. aeruginosa. These findings suggest that these vitamin E-functionalized polycarbonates are potentially useful antimicrobial agents against challenging bacterial/fungal infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Victor Wee Lin
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Xiyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Ashlynn L Z
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hedrick
authors.forename: Yi Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; D014810:Vitamin E; C005506:polycarbonate; D004318:Doxycycline
keywords: antibiotics; antimicrobial; biodegradable and biocompatible polycarbonates; co-delivery; vitamin E