Aluminium oxide nanoparticles inhibit EPS production, adhesion and biofilm formation by multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a biofilm forming multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogen responsible for respiratory tract infections. In this study, aluminium oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) were synthesized and characterized by TEM and EDX and shown to be spherical shaped nanoparticles with a diameter < 10 nm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for the Al2O3 NPs ranged between 125 and 1,000 µg ml−1. Exposure to NPs caused cellular membrane disruption, indicated by an increase in cellular leakage of the contents. Biofilm inhibition was 11.64 to 70.2%, whereas attachment of bacteria to polystyrene surfaces was reduced to 48.8 to 51.9% in the presence of NPs. Nanoparticles also reduced extracellular polymeric substance production and the biomass of established biofilms. The data revealed the non-toxic nature of Al2O3 NPs up to a concentrations of 120 µg ml−1 in HeLa cell lines. These results demonstrate an effective and safer use of Al2O3 NPs against the MDR A. baumannii by targeting biofilm formation, adhesion and EPS production.