
handle: 2123/31438
Antimicrobial peptides and proteins (APPs) are becoming increasingly important in targeting multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Inhalation delivery of these agents can be an effective treatment of respiratory infections owing to the high local drug concentration in the lungs. Endolysins are bacteriophage-derived protein molecules highly effective for bacterial killing. Cpl- 1 and ClyJ-3 are native and chimeric endolysins, respectively, having antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae which causes lung infections. In chapter 2, we conducted the first feasibility study on nebulisation of Cpl-1 and ClyJ-3, with a focus on the antimicrobial activity, structural changes of the proteins and aerosol performance. Nebulisation caused almost complete losses in antimicrobial effect and bioactivity of ClyJ-3. In contrast, the bactericidal activity of Cpl-1 showed no significant difference (p≥0.05) before and after mesh nebulisation. However, jet nebulisation reduced the bioactivity of Cpl-1, and the effect was time-dependent. Chapter 3 shows the first study to investigate the feasibility of spray-dried endolysins Cpl-1 and ClyJ-3 with excipients to produce inhalable powders. The two endolysins were individually tested with leucine and sugar (lactose or trehalose) for spray drying method. A complete loss of ClyJ-3 bioactivity was observed after atomization of the liquid feed solution (before the drying process), while Cpl-1 maintained its bioactivity in the spray-dried powders with promising physico-chemical properties and aerosol performances. Chapter 4 indicates that in a murine S. pneumoniae lung infection model, single treatment of Cpl-1 in liquid or powder decreased the pulmonary bacterial load by approximately 1 log, while the Cpl-1 and gentamycin combination treatment caused a 2.5 log reduction of bacterial counts. The results indicated that inhalation formulations of endolysin hold the potential for respiratory infection treatment.
Streptococcus pneumoniae, 660, Endolysin delivery, Bacteriophage endolysins, Respirator
Streptococcus pneumoniae, 660, Endolysin delivery, Bacteriophage endolysins, Respirator
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