title: Ultrashort self-assembling Fmoc-peptide gelators for anti-infective biomaterial applications.
abstract: Biomaterial-related infections have a significant impact on society and are a major contributor to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Current licensed antibiotic classes struggle to breakdown or penetrate the exopolysaccharide biofilm barrier, resulting in sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic at the surface of the biomaterial, treatment failure and increased spread of resistant isolates. This paper focuses for the first time on the ability of ultrashort Fmoc-peptide gelators to eradicate established bacterial biofilms implicated in a variety of medical device infections (Gram-positive: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The effect of increasing the cationicity of FmocFF via addition of di-lysine and di-orntithine was also studied with regard to antibacterial activity. Our studies demonstrated that Fmoc-peptides (FmocFF, FmocFFKK, FmocFFFKK, FmocFFOO) formed surfactant-like soft gels at concentrations of 1% w/v and above using a method of glucono-δ-Lactone pH induction. The majority of Fmoc-peptides (0.5-2% w/v) demonstrated selective action against established (grown for 24 h) biofilms of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. These results are likely to increase the clinical translation of short-peptide gelator platforms within the area of anti-infective biomaterials including as wound dressings and coatings for prostheses, catheters, heart valves and surgical tubes. In the long term, this will lead to wider treatment choices for clinicians and patients involved in the management of medical device infections and reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Alice P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
authors.forename: Emily R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Brendan F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.affiliation: Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laverty
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009952:Ornithine / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004151:Dipeptides; D005449:Fluorenes; D005782:Gels; D010455:Peptides; C024575:lysyllysine; D009952:Ornithine
keywords: antimicrobial resistance; bacteria; biofilm; infection; nanomaterial; nosocomial