@article{5c0ed4d7c1ff4249a83a05632a2a91f7,
title = "Preclinical assessment of an antibiotic-free cationic surfactant-based cellulose hydrogel for sexually and perinatally transmitted infections",
abstract = "Sexually transmitted infections and urogenital-perinatal infections are significant health challenges owing to their asymptomatic nature, multidrug-resistant pathogens, and lack of effective vaccines. Surfactants are under investigation as potential antimicrobial agents and alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Here, we discovered that N-dodecylpyridinium bromide (C12PB), a cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant, has very low potential to induce antimicrobial resistance with no antibiotic cross-resistance or inflammation in vitro. Therefore, we developed a preclinical antibiotic-free cationic surfactant-based cellulose hydrogel for treating sexually transmitted infections. The C12PB-hydrogels provided sustained surfactant release, enhancing their biocompatibility and antibacterial activity without inflammation or epithelial disruption of the vaginal tract. In a preclinical model of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, a single application of the C12PB-hydrogel showed a 2- to 3-fold reduction in infection. This lays the foundation for the future development of C12PB-hydrogels for sexually transmitted infections, demonstrating potent antibacterial activity and minimal risk of antimicrobial resistance or inflammation.",
keywords = "antibiotic-free, antimicrobial resistance, hydrogel, MAP 6: Development, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, perinatal transmitted infections, sexually transmitted infections, Streptococcus agalactiae, surfactant",
author = "Calado, {Rita D.A.} and Mendes, {B{\'a}rbara B.} and Jo{\~a}o Conniot and Ravasco, {Jo{\~a}o M.J.M.} and Daniel Sobral and Carolina Ferreira and Rita Ferreira and Rodrigues, {Jo{\~a}o Carlos} and Daniela Santos and S{\'i}lvia Duarte and Lu{\'i}s Vieira and In{\'a}cio, {{\^A}ngela S.} and Henrique Carr{\^e}lo and Vaz, {Winchil L.C.} and Gomes, {Jo{\~a}o Paulo} and Alexandra Nunes and Jo{\~a}o Conde and Vieira, {Otilia V.}",
note = "Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Education ( PTDC/BIA-MIC/31561/2017 ) through national funds and co-funded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership. B.B.M., J. Conniot, and J. Conde acknowledge the European Research Council \u2019s Starting Grant ( ERC-StG-2019-848325 ). R.D.A.C. was supported by the FCT project PTDC/BIA-MIC/31561/2017 . O.V.V. was supported by CEEC INST ref. CEECINST/00102/2018/CP1567/CT0020 (DOI: 10.54499/CEECINST/00102/2018/CP1567/CT0020). This work is also a result of the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by the COMPETE 2020\u2013Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT). We thank Prof. Teresa Cidade for assistance with rheological studies. We thank the Histopathology Unit at Gulbenkian Science Institute for quantitative pathology evaluation and the Histological Facility at Nova Medical School for technical assistance with sample preparation. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Elsevier Inc.",
year = "2024",
month = jun,
day = "5",
doi = "10.1016/j.matt.2024.04.002",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "2205 -- 2235",
journal = "Matter",
issn = "2590-2393",
publisher = "Cell Press",
number = "6",
}
