title: Silica Nanopollens Enhance Adhesion for Long-Term Bacterial Inhibition.
abstract: Nature's creations with spiky topological features typically exhibit intriguing surface adhesive properties. From micrometer-sized pollen grains that can easily stick to hairy insects for pollination to nanoscale virus particles that are highly infectious toward host cells, multivalent interactions are formed taking advantage of rough surfaces. Herein, this nature-inspired concept is employed to develop novel drug delivery nanocarriers for antimicrobial applications. A facile new approach is developed to fabricate silica nanopollens (mesoporous silica nanospheres with rough surfaces), which show enhanced adhesion toward bacteria surfaces compared to their counterparts with smooth surfaces. Lysozyme, a natural antimicrobial enzyme, is loaded into silica nanopollens and shows sustained release behavior, potent antimicrobial activity, and long-term total bacterial inhibition up to 3 days toward Escherichia coli. The potent antibacterial activity of lysozyme-loaded silica nanopollens is further demonstrated ex vivo by using a small-intestine infection model. Our strategy provides a novel pathway in the rational design of nanocarriers for efficient drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Yusilawati
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ahmad Nor
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Meihua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Yannan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitter
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Chengzhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009113:Muramidase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049329:Nanostructures; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D009113:Muramidase