Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effect of a novel BODIPY photosensitizer against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines the use of organic dyes (photosensitizers, PSs) and visible light in order to elicit a photo-oxidative stress which causes bacterial death. GD11, a recently synthesized PS belonging to the boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) class, was demonstrated to be efficient against planktonic cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, causing a 7 log unit reduction of viable cells when administered at 2.5 μM. The effectiveness of GD11 against P. aeruginosa biofilms grown in flow-cells and microtiter trays was also demonstrated. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of flow-cell-grown biofilms suggests that the treatment has a biocidal effect against bacterial biofilm cells.