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Photomechanical Drug Delivery into Bacterial Biofilms

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Abstract

Purpose. To investigate whether photomechanical waves generated bylasers can increase the permeability of a biofilm of the oral pathogenActinomyces viscosus.Methods. Biofilms of Actinomyces viscosus were formed on bovineenamel surfaces. The photomechanical wave was generated by ablationof a target with a Q-switched ruby laser and launched into the biofilmin the presence of 50 μg/ml methylene blue. The penetration depth ofmethylene blue was measured by confocal scanning laser microscopy.Also, the exposed biofilms were irradiated with light at 666 nm. Afterillumination, adherent bacteria were scraped and spread over thesurfaces of blood agar plates. Survival fractions were calculated bycounting bacterial colonies.Results. Confocal scanning laser microscopy revealed that a singlephotomechanical wave was sufficient to induce a 75% increase in thepenetration depth of methylene blue into the biofilm. This significantlyincreased the concentration of methylene blue in the biofilm enablingits photodestruction.Conclusions. Photomechanical waves provide a potentially powerfultool for drug delivery that might be utilized for treatment of microbial infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 50 Blossom Street WEL 224, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114-2698

    Nikolaos S. Soukos

  2. Department of Periodontology, Forsyth Institute, 140 Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115

    Sigmund S. Socransky

  3. Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 50 Blossom Street WEL 224, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114-2698

    Stephen E. Mulholland, Shun Lee & Apostolos G. Doukas

  4. Genetics Institute, One Burtt Road, Andover, Massachusetts, 01810

    Stephen E. Mulholland

Authors
  1. Nikolaos S. Soukos
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  2. Sigmund S. Socransky
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  3. Stephen E. Mulholland
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  4. Shun Lee
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  5. Apostolos G. Doukas
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Soukos, N.S., Socransky, S.S., Mulholland, S.E. et al. Photomechanical Drug Delivery into Bacterial Biofilms. Pharm Res 17, 405–409 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007568702118

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