Inhibition Effects of Aerosolized Antibacterial Agents on Bacterial Motility and Biofilm from Airways

Biofilms are multicellar aggregates of bacterial bound by a matrix of extracellular polymers. Bacteria in the biofilm are highly tolerated to antibiotics and antiseptic agents. While motility of bacteria is a key element of biofilm formation, suppression of bacteria motility might inhibit the aggregation and formation of biofilm, resulting in less acute exacerbations of patients with airway disease. Furthermore, stage IV biofilm formation is strongly associated with patients diagnosed with ventilator-associated pneumonia. In addition to using for sputum induction and sputum expectorant, inhaled hypertonic saline may inhibit motility and swarming of pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhaled hypertonic saline may be extended its application to various types of bacteria in the upper airway infection. Acetylcysteine is the most used mucolytics agent, but it has gain more attention on its antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antiracial effects, and its inhibition of biofilm formation. Dealing with antibiotics resistance bacteria, the development of new drug is time consuming and expensive. It may be the new strategy combining old drugs with antibiotics, mucolytics, and inhibition of bacteria motility, such as acetylcysteine and hypertonic saline. Aerosolized drug delivers to the infected airways directly. The aim this two year study is to evaluate the synergic antibacterial effects by combining those three antimicrobial agents. In the first year, we will build an experimental aerosol delivery model to evaluate 1) chemical properties and particle characteristics of mixed drugs by the jet nebulizer and the vibrating mesh nebulizer, and the inhaled drug dose, 2) sputum rheology after exposure to aerosolized agents, 3) bacterial motility, and 4) biofilm growing on the endotracheal tube and the morphology. In the second year, we will establish a microfluidic system which consists a gradient generator and antibiotic detection channel. The minimal inhibitory concentration can then be calculated. Antibiotic resistance from bacteria in a biofilm is associated the permeability and concentration of antibiotics through the polymer. Therefore, we will establish a multilayer biofilm module for the examination of antibiotic concentration in the biofilm, minimal inhibition concentration, and motility of bacteria.

Project ID:PC10708-0976
External Project ID:MOST107-2314-B182-067