Bimetallic palladium@copper nanoparticles: Lethal effect on the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2021.112392Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Pd1.9Cu NPs were synthesized by simple methods.

  • Pd1.9Cu NPs kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa by ROS generation and metal ion release.

  • Pd1.9Cu NPs have superior antimicrobial activity than antibiotics and Ag NPs.

  • Pd1.9Cu NPs are biocompatible in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract

Infections by the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are on the rise, and its antibiotic resistance is a tough challenge for clinical therapeutics worldwide. Therefore, it is an urgent to find alternative antibiotics that possess preferable bactericidal efficiency and are safer than silver (Ag) nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Here, we synthesized small palladium@copper (Pd1.9Cu) alloy NPs with preferable antibacterial functions. We also used a bacteria-infected skin wound mouse model to confirm the sterilization effect of Pd1.9Cu NPs. Pd1.9Cu NPs killed P. aeruginosa at a low concentration, displaying a more powerful bactericidal effect than Ag NPs in vitro. In addition, Pd1.9Cu NPs broke through the bacterial membrane, leading to DNA fragmentation and leakage of genomic DNA and proteins. The underlying mechanism was to trigger the burst of intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and accelerated ion release (Cu and Pd). Pd1.9Cu NPs were also more capable of disinfection than Ag NPs and ceftazidime in vivo, promoting speedy wound recovery. Simultaneously, the biocompatibility of Pd1.9Cu NPs was satisfactory both in vitro and in vivo. These results show that Pd1.9Cu NPs are a promising nanomedicine to treat P. aeruginosa infection.

Graphical abstract

The schematic graph of the antibacterial mechanism of Pd1.9Cu NPs, and its functions in bacteria-infected skin wound.

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Keywords

Gram-negative bacteria infection
Nanomedicine
Pd1.9Cu nanoparticles
Antibacterial
Wound healing

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