Cutting-Edge Nanotechnologies in Bacterial Infection Control

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Background

It is estimated by World Health Organization (WHO) that, if no active actions are taken, multi-drug resistant bacteria will surpass cancer and being the primary killer for human beings by 2050. The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria is due partially to the abuse/overuse of conventional antibiotics, and partially to bacteria living in biofilms or cells. Bacterial infection sites differ greatly from normal tissues in many parameters, such as acidic pH, hypoxia, high enzymatic activity, reducing conditions, high levels of reactive oxygen species, etc., the metabolism of bacterial inhabitants. These hallmarks are of great importance for identifying biofilm-associated infections and providing implications for the treatment of biofilm-associated infections. With these understandings, tremendous nanosystems have been established for imaging bacterial infections, preventing bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation, as well as eradicating mature biofilms.

Currently, most of the efforts have been spared in combating bacteria living in their planktonic mode of growth via the mechanisms such as membrane damage, DNA damage, or intracellular reactive oxygen species upregulation, etc. However, biofilms account for over 80% of the bacterial infections in the human body and are the main cause of chronic and persistent infections. The bacteria living in biofilms are 10-1000 folds more recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment compared to their planktonic counterparts. Although several pioneering works have been developed to prevent the formation of biofilms, to overcome the biological barrier in delivering antimicrobials, to disperse the mature biofilm matrixes, more efforts are stilled in dire need in the following aspects. Firstly, a surface that prevents bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation usually does not allow the attachment and growth of mammalian cells as well. Therefore, technology that allows the tissue cells to win the “race to the surface” is highly desired. Secondly, the majority of the current responsive nanosystems are responsive to only one stimulus, however, the progression of infections is closely associated with multi-physiological factors in the microenvironment, designing multi-sensitive mechanisms would be useful for fundamental studies and clinical applications. Moreover, biodegradable nanosystems are needed to minimize the potential of the cumulative cytotoxicity to the normal tissues. Also, few efforts on the combination of diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections.

This Research Topic covers the following interests:
• Surfaces that modified with nanotechnologies to prevent bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation
• Novel nanotechnologies for bacterial biofilm imaging
• Nanocarriers for conventional antibiotic regimens to enhance the bacterial killing efficacy of antibiotics yet minimize their side effects
• Photosensitizer-based nanotechnologies used in photo-dynamic/-thermal antimicrobial therapies
• Nanozymes that mimic the natural enzymes to eradicate mature biofilms
Original Research articles, Reviews or Mini Reviews on recent achievements of antimicrobial nanotechnologies are all welcome.

Keywords: Biofilm prevention, biofilm eradication, precise drug delivery, responsive nanocarriers, nanozymes

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