Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Enhance the Potency of Ampicillin against <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> in a Protozoa Infection Model
Chuan Hao Tan, Lai Jiang, Wenrui Li, Siew Herng Chan, Jong-Suep Baek, Noele Kai Jing Ng, Talgat Sailov, Sharad Kharel, Kelvin Kian Long Chong, Say Chye Joachim Loo
Abstract
after 24 h treatment. Amp-LPNs also greatly enhanced the antibacterial activity of Amp at late intervention and boosted the survival rate of protozoa approaching 400%, where no viable protozoa were identified in the free Amp groups at the 40 h postinfection treatment time point. Prophylactic effectiveness with Amp-LPNs at a concentration of 250 μg/mL was exhibited in both bacteria elimination and protozoa survival toward subsequent infections. Using protozoa as a surrogate model for animal phagocytes to study high MOI infections, this study suggests that LPN-formulated antibiotics hold the potential to significantly improve the therapeutic outcome in highly complicated bacterial infections.