Multifunctional nanoagents for ultrasensitive imaging and photoactive killing of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Simultaneous imaging and treatment of infections remains a major challenge, with most current approaches being effective against only one specific group of bacteria or not being useful for diagnosis. Here we develop multifunctional nanoagents that can potentially be used for imaging and treatment of infections caused by diverse bacterial pathogens. The nanoagents are made of fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) functionalized with a glucose polymer (e.g., poly[4-O-(α-D-glucopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranose]) and loaded with chlorin e6 (Ce6). They are rapidly internalized into Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by a mechanism dependent on an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter pathway. The nanoagents can be used for imaging bacteria by tracking the green fluorescence of SiNPs and th

SUBMITTER: Tang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6731231 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature