Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of polyethyleneimine-modified polydopamine nanoparticles on a burn-injured skin model†

Abstract

Chronic infections involving bacterial biofilms pose significant treatment challenges due to the resilience of biofilms against existing antimicrobials. Here, we introduce a nanomaterial-based platform for treating Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms, both in isolation and within a biofilm-infected burn skin model. Our approach leverages biocompatible and photothermal polydopamine nanoparticles (PDNP), functionalized with branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) and loaded with the antibiotic rifampicin, to target bacteria dwelling within biofilms. A key innovation of our method is its ability to not only target planktonic S. epidermidis but also effectively tackle biofilm-embedded bacteria. We demonstrated that PDNP–PEI interacts effectively with the bacterial surface, facilitating laser-activated photothermal eradication of planktonic S. epidermidis. In a 3D skin burn injury model, PDNP–PEI demonstrates anti-inflammatory and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging effects, reducing inflammatory cytokine levels and promoting healing. The rifampicin-loaded PDNP–PEI (PDNP–PEI–Rif) platform further shows significant efficacy against bacteria inside biofilms. The PDNP–PEI–Rif retained its immunomodulatory activity and efficiently eradicated biofilms grown on our burn-injured 3D skin model, effectively addressing the challenges of biofilm-related infections. This achievement marks a significant advancement in infection management, with the potential for a transformative impact on clinical practice.