To contrast the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, new alternative therapeutic options are urgently needed. The use of nanoparticles as carriers for clinically relevant antibiotics represents a promising solution to potentiate their efficacy. In this study, we used Bombyx mori larvae for the first time as an animal model for testing a nanoconjugated glycopeptide antibiotic (teicoplanin) against Staphylococcus aureus infection. B. mori larvae might thus replace the use of mammalian models for preclinical tests, in agreement with the European Parliament Directive 2010/63/EU. The curative effect of teicoplanin (a last resort antibiotic against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens) conjugated to iron oxide nanoparticles was assessed by monitoring the survival rate of the larvae and some immunological markers (i.e., hemocyte viability, phenoloxidase system activation, and lysozyme activity). Human physiological conditions of infection were reproduced by performing the experiments at 37 ◦C. In this condition, nanoconjugated teicoplanin cured the bacterial infection at the same antibiotic concentration of the free counterpart, blocking the insect immune response without causing mortality of silkworm larvae. These results demonstrate the value and robustness of the silkworm as an infection model for testing the in vivo efficacy of nanoconjugated antimicrobial molecules.

In vivo efficacy of a nanoconjugated glycopeptide antibiotic in silkworm larvae infected by Staphylococcus aureus

Aurora Montali
Co-primo
;
Francesca Berini
Co-primo
;
Federica Gamberoni
Co-primo
;
Ilaria Armenia;Rosalba Gornati;Giovanni Bernardini;Flavia Marinelli
;
Gianluca Tettamanti
2024-01-01

Abstract

To contrast the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, new alternative therapeutic options are urgently needed. The use of nanoparticles as carriers for clinically relevant antibiotics represents a promising solution to potentiate their efficacy. In this study, we used Bombyx mori larvae for the first time as an animal model for testing a nanoconjugated glycopeptide antibiotic (teicoplanin) against Staphylococcus aureus infection. B. mori larvae might thus replace the use of mammalian models for preclinical tests, in agreement with the European Parliament Directive 2010/63/EU. The curative effect of teicoplanin (a last resort antibiotic against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens) conjugated to iron oxide nanoparticles was assessed by monitoring the survival rate of the larvae and some immunological markers (i.e., hemocyte viability, phenoloxidase system activation, and lysozyme activity). Human physiological conditions of infection were reproduced by performing the experiments at 37 ◦C. In this condition, nanoconjugated teicoplanin cured the bacterial infection at the same antibiotic concentration of the free counterpart, blocking the insect immune response without causing mortality of silkworm larvae. These results demonstrate the value and robustness of the silkworm as an infection model for testing the in vivo efficacy of nanoconjugated antimicrobial molecules.
2024
2024
Bombyx mori; Staphylococcus aureus; nanoparticles; teicoplanin; nanoconjugated antibiotic; infection model; immune response
Montali, Aurora; Berini, Francesca; Gamberoni, Federica; Armenia, Ilaria; Saviane, Alessio; Cappellozza, Silvia; Gornati, Rosalba; Bernardini, Giovann...espandi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11383/2184451
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