Effect of cyclic topology <i>versus</i> linear terpolymers on antibacterial activity and biocompatibility: antimicrobial peptide avatars
Md Aquib, Wenting Yang, Luofeng Yu, Vinod K. Kannaujiya, Yuhao Zhang, Peng Li, Andrew K. Whittaker, Changkui Fu, Cyrille Boyer
Abstract
CPs) and hydrophobic composition. LPs demonstrated superior antibacterial efficacy compared to CPs against four Gram-negative bacterial strains, with terpolymers containing (P) outperforming those with (E). Increasing the hydrophobicity from 20% to 30% in the terpolymers increased toxicity to both bacterial and mammalian cells. Notably, our terpolymers inhibited the MDR Gram-negative bacterial strain PA37 more effectively than gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. Furthermore, our terpolymers were able to disrupt cell membranes and rapidly eliminate Gram-negative bacteria (99.99% within 15 minutes). Interestingly, CPs exhibited higher hemocompatibility and biocompatibility with mammalian macrophage cells compared to LPs, showcasing a better safety profile (CPs > LPs). These findings underscore the importance of tailoring polymer architectures and optimizing the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance to address challenges related to toxicity and selectivity in developing antimicrobial polymers.