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. 2011 Jun;77(11):3892-5.
doi: 10.1128/AEM.02941-10. Epub 2011 Apr 15.

Antimicrobial effect of chitosan nanoparticles on streptococcus mutans biofilms

Luis E Chávez de Paz  1 , Anton Resin, Kenneth A Howard, Duncan S Sutherland, Peter L Wejse
Affiliations

Antimicrobial effect of chitosan nanoparticles on streptococcus mutans biofilms

Luis E Chávez de Paz et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011 Jun.

Abstract

Nanoparticle complexes were prepared from chitosans of various molecular weights (MW) and degrees of deacetylation (DD). The antimicrobial effect was assessed by the Live/Dead BacLight technique in conjunction with confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) and image analysis. Nanocomplexes prepared from chitosans with high MW showed a low antimicrobial effect (20 to 25% of cells damaged), whereas those prepared from low-MW chitosans showed high antimicrobial effect (>95% of cells damaged).

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Categorization of the different chitosan subtypes based on their molecular size (kDa) and degree of deacetylation.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Formation of the chitosan-tripolyphosphate complex by ionotropic gelation. (a) Schematic illustration of the chitosan-TPP complex and (b) SEM image. Bar, 200 nm.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Antimicrobial effect of different chitosan-tripolyphosphate complexes in S. mutans biofilms. 3D biofilm reconstructions show results with the Live/Dead stain (green [viable cells] and red [damaged cells]) at different depths of the biofilms. The units on the axes are micrometers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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