Bacteria-specific pro-photosensitizer kills multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Multidrug-resistant bacteria are a real threat to human health. Here, the authors investigate a combinatory strategy using blue-laser and thymol against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Blue-laser and thymol succesfully sterilized acute infected or biofilm-associated wounds and prev...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Min Lu, Yongli Li, Mei X. Wu
Format: article
Language:EN
Published: Nature Portfolio 2021
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Online Access:https://doaj.org/article/730d8cbc56764cae9a77f36ac77a7064
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Summary:Multidrug-resistant bacteria are a real threat to human health. Here, the authors investigate a combinatory strategy using blue-laser and thymol against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Blue-laser and thymol succesfully sterilized acute infected or biofilm-associated wounds and prevented systematic dissemination in mice. Compared with mammalian cells, bacteria contain abundant proporphyrin-like compounds that transform harmless thymol into blue-laser sensitizers, thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone. Photo-excitation of thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone augmented reactive oxygen species production in bacteria while completely sparing the host tissue.