title: Amphotericin B-silver hybrid nanoparticles: synthesis, properties and antifungal activity.
abstract: High antifungal activity is reported, in comparison with commercially available products, of a novel hybrid system based on silver nanoparticles synthesized using a popular antifungal macrocyclic polyene amphotericin B (AmB) acting both as a reducing and stabilizing/capping agent. The synthesis reaction proceeds in an alkaline environment which prevents aggregation of AmB itself and promotes nanoparticle formation. The innovative approach produces monodisperse (PDI=0.05), AmB-coated silver nanoparticles (AmB-AgNPs) with the diameter ~7nm. The products were characterized using imaging (electron microscopy) and spectroscopic (UV-vis and infrared absorption, dynamic light scattering and Raman scattering) methods. The nanoparticles were tested against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium culmorum species. For cytotoxicity studies CCD-841CoTr and THP-1 cell lines were used. Particularly high antifungal activity of AmB-AgNPs is interpreted as the result of synergy between the antifungal activity of amphotericin B and silver antimicrobial properties (Ag(+) ions release).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Amphotericin B (AmB) is a common agent used for the treatment against severe fungal infections. In this article, the authors described a new approach in using a combination of AmB and silver nanoparticles, in which the silver nanoparticles were synthesized and stabilized by AmB. Experimental data confirmed synergistic antifungal effects between amphotericin B and silver. This novel synthesis process could potentially be important in future drug development and fabrication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland; Chair of Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland. Electronic address: ktutaj@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tutaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: radoslaw.szlazak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Radoslaw
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szlazak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: katarzyna.szalapata@poczta.umcs.lublin.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szalapata
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: starzyk.asia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Starzyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: rafal.luchowski@umcs.pl.
authors.forename: Rafal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luchowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: wojciech.grudzinski@umcs.pl.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grudzinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: moniosi@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osinska-Jaroszuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: anna.wilkolazka@umcs.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jarosz-Wilkolazka
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: aszusterciesielska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szuster-Ciesielska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: wieslaw.gruszecki@umcs.pl.
authors.forename: Wieslaw I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Gruszecki
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D012834:Silver; D000666:Amphotericin B
keywords: Amphotericin B; Antifungal activity; Bioconjugate; Nanoparticle synthesis; Silver nanoparticles