The clinical path to deliver encapsulated phages and lysins

Bacteriophages in nature: recent advances in research tools and diverse environmental and biotechnological applications

Bacteriophages infect and replicate within bacteria and play a key role in the environment, particularly in microbial ecosystems and bacterial population dynamics. The increasing recognition of their significance stems from their wide array of environmental and biotechnological uses, which encompass the mounting issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Beyond their therapeutic potential in combating antibiotic-resistant infections, bacteriophages also find vast applications such as water quality monitoring, bioremediation, and nutrient cycling within environmental sciences. Researchers are actively involved in isolating and characterizing bacteriophages from different natural sources to explore their applications. Gaining insights into key aspects such as the life cycle of bacteriophages, their host range, immune interactions, and physical stability is vital to enhance their application potential. The establishment of diverse phage libraries has become indispensable to facilitate their wide-ranging uses. Consequently, numerous protocols, ranging from traditional to cutting-edge techniques, have been developed for the isolation, detection, purification, and characterization of bacteriophages from diverse environmental sources. This review offers an exploration of tools, delves into the methods of isolation, characterization, and the extensive environmental applications of bacteriophages, particularly in areas like water quality assessment, the food sector, therapeutic interventions, and the phage therapy in various infections and diseases.

Phage Lytic Protein CHAPSH3b Encapsulated in Niosomes and Gelatine Films

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a global health challenge, sparking worldwide interest in exploring the antimicrobial potential of natural compounds as an alternative to conventional antibiotics. In recent years, one area of focus has been the utilization of bacteriophages and their derivative proteins. Specifically, phage lytic proteins, or endolysins, are specialized enzymes that induce bacterial cell lysis and can be efficiently produced and purified following overexpression in bacteria. Nonetheless, a significant limitation of these proteins is their vulnerability to certain environmental conditions, which may impair their effectiveness. Encapsulating endolysins in vesicles could mitigate this issue by providing added protection to the proteins, enabling controlled release, and enhancing their stability, particularly at temperatures around 4 °C. In this work, the chimeric lytic protein CHAPSH3b was encapsulated within non-ionic surfactant-based vesicles (niosomes) created using the thin film hydrating method (TFH). These protein-loaded niosomes were then characterized, revealing sizes in the range of 30-80 nm, zeta potentials between 30 and 50 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 50-60%. Additionally, with the objective of exploring their potential application in the food industry, these endolysin-loaded niosomes were incorporated into gelatine films. This was carried out to evaluate their stability and antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus.

Bacteriophages and their derived enzymes as promising alternatives for the treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii infections

Nosocomial infections with the opportunistic bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii pose a severe challenge to clinical treatment, which is aggravated by the increasing occurrence of multi-drug resistance, especially resistance to carbapenems. The use of phage therapy as an alternative and supplement to the current antibiotics has become an important research topic in the post-antibiotic era. This review summarizes in vivo and in vitro studies on phage therapy against multi-drug-resistant A. baumannii infection that have used different approaches, including treatment with a single phage, combination with other phages or non-phage agents, and administration of phage-derived enzymes. We also briefly discuss the current challenges of phage-based therapy as well as promising approaches for the treatment of A. baumannii infection in the future.

Current therapies and challenges for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-related infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections and contributes to significant increase in morbidity and mortality especially when associated with medical devices and in biofilm form. Biofilm structure provides a pathway for the enrichment of resistant and persistent phenotypes of S. aureus leading to relapse and recurrence of infection. Minimal diffusion of antibiotics inside biofilm structure leads to heterogeneity and distinct physiological activity. Additionally, horizontal gene transfer between cells in proximity adds to the challenges associated with eradication of biofilms. This narrative review focuses on biofilm-associated infections caused by S. aureus, the impact of environmental conditions on biofilm formation, interactions inside biofilm communities, and the clinical challenges that they present. Conclusively, potential solutions, novel treatment strategies, combination therapies, and reported alternatives are discussed.

Engineered M13 phage as a novel therapeutic bionanomaterial for clinical applications: From tissue regeneration to cancer therapy

Bacteriophages (phages) are nanostructured viruses with highly selective antibacterial properties that have gained attention beyond eliminating bacteria. Specifically, M13 phages are filamentous phages that have recently been studied in various aspects of nanomedicine due to their biological advantages and more compliant engineering capabilities over other phages. Having nanofiber-like morphology, M13 phages can reach varied target sites and self-assemble into multidimensional scaffolds in a relatively safe and stable way. In addition, genetic modification of the coat proteins enables specific display of peptides and antibodies on the phages, allowing for precise and individualized medicine. M13 phages have also been subjected to novel engineering approaches, including phage-based bionanomaterial engineering and phage-directed nanomaterial combinations that enhance the bionanomaterial properties of M13 phages. In view of these features, researchers have been able to utilize M13 phages for therapeutic applications such as drug delivery, biodetection, tissue regeneration, and targeted cancer therapy. In particular, M13 phages have been utilized as a novel bionanomaterial for precisely mimicking natural tissue environment in order to overcome the shortage in tissue and organ donors. Hence, in this review, we address the recent studies and advances of using M13 phages in the field of nanomedicine as therapeutic agents based upon their characteristics as novel bionanomaterial with biomolecules displayed. This paper also emphasizes the novel engineering approach that enhances M13 phage's bionanomaterial capabilities. Current limitations and future approaches are also discussed to provide insight in further progress for M13 phage-based clinical applications.

Bacteriophage Delivery Systems for Food Applications: Opportunities and Perspectives

Currently, one-third of all food produced worldwide is wasted or lost, and bacterial contamination is one of the main reasons. Moreover, foodborne diseases are a severe problem, causing more than 420,000 deaths and nearly 600 million illnesses yearly, demanding more attention to food safety. Thus, new solutions need to be explored to tackle these problems. A possible solution for bacterial contamination is using bacteriophages (phages), which are harmless to humans; these natural viruses can be used to prevent or reduce food contamination by foodborne pathogens. In this regard, several studies showed the effectiveness of phages against bacteria. However, when used in their free form, phages can lose infectivity, decreasing the application in foods. To overcome this problem, new delivery systems are being studied to incorporate phages and ensure prolonged activity and controlled release in food systems. This review focuses on the existent and new phage delivery systems applied in the food industry to promote food safety. Initially, an overview of phages, their main advantages, and challenges is presented, followed by the different delivery systems, focused in methodologies, and biomaterials that can be used. In the end, examples of phage applications in foods are disclosed and future perspectives are approached.

Beyond the Risk of Biofilms: An Up-and-Coming Battleground of Bacterial Life and Potential Antibiofilm Agents

Microbial pathogens and their virulence factors like biofilms are one of the major factors which influence the disease process and its outcomes. Biofilms are a complex microbial network that is produced by bacteria on any devices and/or biotic surfaces to escape harsh environmental conditions and antimicrobial effects. Due to the natural protective nature of biofilms and the associated multidrug resistance issues, researchers evaluated several natural anti-biofilm agents, including bacteriophages and their derivatives, honey, plant extracts, and surfactants for better destruction of biofilm and planktonic cells. This review discusses some of these natural agents that are being put into practice to prevent biofilm formation. In addition, we highlight bacterial biofilm formation and the mechanism of resistance to antibiotics.

Recent Advances in Phage-Based Therapeutics for Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic pathogen common in clinical infections. Phage therapy become a hot research field worldwide again after the post-antibiotic era. This review summarizes the important progress of phage treatments for A. baumannii in the last five years, and focus on the new interesting advances including the combination of phage and other substances (like photosensitizer), and the phage encapsulation (by microparticle, hydrogel) in delivery. We also discuss the remaining challenges and promising directions for phage-based therapy of A. baumannii infection in the future, and the innovative combination of materials in this area may be one promising direction.

Enhancing the Stability of Bacteriophages Using Physical, Chemical, and Nano-Based Approaches: A Review

Phages are efficient in diagnosing, treating, and preventing various diseases, and as sensing elements in biosensors. Phage display alone has gained attention over the past decade, especially in pharmaceuticals. Bacteriophages have also found importance in research aiming to fight viruses and in the consequent formulation of antiviral agents and vaccines. All these applications require control over the stability of virions. Phages are considered resistant to various harsh conditions. However, stability-determining parameters are usually the only additional factors in phage-related applications. Phages face instability and activity loss when preserved for extended periods. Sudden environmental changes, including exposure to UV light, temperature, pH, and salt concentration, also lead to a phage titer fall. This review describes various formulations that impart stability to phage stocks, mainly focusing on polymer-based stabilization, encapsulation, lyophilization, and nano-assisted solutions.

Antibiofilm Efficacy of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pbunavirus vB_PaeM-SMS29 Loaded onto Dissolving Polyvinyl Alcohol Microneedles

Resistant bacteria prevail in most chronic skin wounds and other biofilm-related topical skin infections. Bacteriophages (phages) have proven their antimicrobial effectiveness for treating different antibiotic-resistant and multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, but not all phages are effective against biofilms. Phages possessing depolymerases can reach different biofilm layers; however, those that do not have depolymerase activity struggle to penetrate and navigate in the intricate 3D biofilm structure and mainly infect bacteria lodged in the outer biofilm layers. To address this, Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage vB_PaeM-SMS29, a phage with poor antibiofilm properties, was incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, Mowiol 4:88) supplemented with 0.1% (v/v) of glycerol, and cast onto two different microneedle arrays varying in geometry. The dissolving microneedles were thoroughly characterized by microscopy, force-displacement, swelling, phage release and stability. Furthermore, 48 h-old biofilms were formed using the colony biofilm procedure (absence of broth), and the antibiofilm efficacy of the phage-loaded microneedles was evaluated by viable cell counts and microscopy and compared to free phages. The phages in microneedles were fairly stable for six months when stored at 4 °C, with minor decreases in phage titers observed. The geometry of the microneedles influenced the penetration and force-displacement characteristics but not the antimicrobial efficacy against biofilms. The two PVA microneedles loaded with phages reduced P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilms by 2.44 to 2.76 log₁₀ CFU·cm^-2 at 24 h. These values are significantly higher than the result obtained after the treatment with the free phage (1.09 log₁₀ CFU·cm^-2). Overall, this study shows that the distribution of phages caused by the mechanical disruption of biofilms using dissolving microneedles can be an effective delivery method against topical biofilm-related skin infections.

Modulating microRNAs in cancer: Next-generation therapies

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenously expressed non-coding regulators of the genome with an ability to mediate a variety of biological and pathological processes. There is growing evidence demonstrating frequent dysregulation of microRNAs in cancer cells, which is associated with tumor initiation, development, migration, invasion, resisting cell death, and drug resistance. Studies have shown that modulation of these small RNAs is a novel and promising therapeutic tool in the treatment of a variety of diseases, especially cancer, due to their broad influence on multiple cellular processes. However, suboptimal delivery of the appropriate miRNA to the cancer sites, quick degradation by nucleases in the blood circulation, and off target effects have limited their research and clinical applications. Therefore, there is a pressing need to improve the therapeutic efficacy of miRNA modulators, while at the same time reducing their toxicities. Several delivery vehicles for miRNA modulators have been shown to be effective in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we will discuss the role and importance of miRNAs in cancer and provide perspectives on currently available carriers for miRNA modulation. We will also summarize the challenges and prospects for the clinical translation of miRNA-based therapeutic strategies.

Bacterial Biofilm Destruction: A Focused Review On The Recent Use of Phage-Based Strategies With Other Antibiofilm Agents

Biofilms are bacterial communities that live in association with biotic or abiotic surfaces and enclosed in an extracellular polymeric substance. Their formation on both biotic and abiotic surfaces, including human tissue and medical device surfaces, pose a major threat causing chronic infections. In addition, current antibiotics and antiseptic agents have shown limited ability to completely remove biofilms. In this review, the authors provide an overview on the formation of bacterial biofilms and its characteristics, burden and evolution with phages. Moreover, the most recent possible use of phages and phage-derived enzymes to combat bacteria in biofilm structures is elucidated. From the emerging results, it can be concluded that despite successful use of phages and phage-derived products in destroying biofilms, they are mostly not adequate to eradicate all bacterial cells. Nevertheless, a combined therapy with the use of phages and/or phage-derived products with other antimicrobial agents including antibiotics, nanoparticles, and antimicrobial peptides may be effective approaches to remove biofilms from medical device surfaces and to treat their associated infections in humans.