Zinc Oxide Nanorods-Decorated Graphene Nanoplatelets: A Promising Antimicrobial Agent against the Cariogenic Bacterium Streptococcus mutans.
Nanomaterials are revolutionizing the field of medicine to improve the quality of life due to the myriad of applications stemming from their unique properties, including the antimicrobial activity against pathogens. In this study, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of a novel nanomaterial composed by zinc oxide nanorods-decorated graphene nanoplatelets (ZNGs) are investigated. ZNGs were produced by hydrothermal method and characterized through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The antimicrobial activity of ZNGs was evaluated againstStreptococcus mutans, the main bacteriological agent in the etiology of dental caries. Cell viability assay demonstrated that ZNGs exerted a strikingly high killing effect onS. mutanscells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, FE-SEM analysis revealed relevant mechanical damages exerted by ZNGs at the cell surface of this dental pathogen rather than reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In addition, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements showed negligible zinc dissolution, demonstrating that zinc ion release in the suspension is not associated with the high cell mortality rate. Finally, our data indicated that alsoS. mutansbiofilm formation was affected by the presence of graphene-zinc oxide (ZnO) based material, as witnessed by the safranin staining and growth curve analysis. Therefore, ZNGs can be a remarkable nanobactericide against one of the main dental pathogens. The potential applications in dental care and therapy are very promising.
BBCD, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. elena.zanni@uniroma1.it.|SNN Lab, Sapienza Nanotechnology & Nano-Science Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. elena.zanni@uniroma1.it.
Elena
E
Zanni
SNN Lab, Sapienza Nanotechnology & Nano-Science Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. c.chandraiahgari@uniroma1.it.|DIAEE, Department of Astronautical, Electrical, Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. c.chandraiahgari@uniroma1.it.
Chandrakanth Reddy
CR
Chandraiahgari
SNN Lab, Sapienza Nanotechnology & Nano-Science Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. giovanni.debellis@uniroma1.it.|DIAEE, Department of Astronautical, Electrical, Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. giovanni.debellis@uniroma1.it.
Giovanni
G
De Bellis
Sustainable Territorial and Production Systems Department (SSPT) PROTER Division, BioGeoChemistry Laboratory, ENEA, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome 00123, Italy. mariarita.montereali@enea.it.
Maria Rita
MR
Montereali
Sustainable Territorial and Production Systems Department (SSPT) PROTER Division, BioGeoChemistry Laboratory, ENEA, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome 00123, Italy. giovanna.armiento@enea.it.
Giovanna
G
Armiento
Department of Earth Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. paolo.ballirano@uniroma1.it.
Paolo
P
Ballirano
Department of Dentistry and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Unit of Pediatric Dentistry Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. antonella.polimeni@uniroma1.it.
Antonella
A
Polimeni
SNN Lab, Sapienza Nanotechnology & Nano-Science Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. mariasabrina.sarto@uniroma1.it.|DIAEE, Department of Astronautical, Electrical, Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. mariasabrina.sarto@uniroma1.it.
Maria Sabrina
MS
Sarto
BBCD, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. daniela.uccelletti@uniroma1.it.|SNN Lab, Sapienza Nanotechnology & Nano-Science Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy. daniela.uccelletti@uniroma1.it.
Daniela
D
Uccelletti
antimicrobial activity; composite; dental caries; graphene nanoplatelets; streptococcus mutans; zinc oxide