title: Chasing bacteria within the cells using levofloxacin-loaded hyaluronic acid nanohydrogels.
abstract: In the present work, an innovative approach based on the delivery of levofloxacin (LVF) from polysaccharide nanohydrogels for the treatment of bacterial intracellular infections is described. The nanohydrogels (NHs) were obtained by self-assembling of the hyaluronic acid-cholesterol amphiphilic chains in aqueous environment. LVF, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic scarcely efficient in intracellular infections, was entrapped within such NHs by nanoprecipitation, thus forming a drug delivery system (LVF-NHs) that was tested for its activity on different bacteria strains. The MIC values of levofloxacin-loaded nanohydrogels were determined for Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains and compared to those obtained using free LVF. The intracellular antimicrobial activity of LVF-NHs and free LVF was compared on HeLa epithelial cell line infected by the above mentioned bacteria, and the increase in antibacterial efficacy of LVF-NHs with respect to that of free LVF was evidenced. The obtained results allow to conclude that this new approach can be considered as really promising method for intracellular infection treatments.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.affiliation: Dept. Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Arrigo
authors.affiliation: Dept. Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Meo
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virga
authors.affiliation: Dept. Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coviello
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Passariello
authors.affiliation: Dept. Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: pietro.matricardi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matricardi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D064704:Levofloxacin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D020100:Hydrogels; D064704:Levofloxacin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Fluoroquinolones; Hyaluronic acid; Intracellular infections; Levofloxacin; Nanohydrogels