Biomimetic aqueous-core lipid nanoballoons integrating a multiple emulsion formulation: A suitable housing system for viable lytic bacteriophages

Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and the weak penetration of antibiotics into bacterial biofilms put an emphasis in the need for safe and effective alternatives for antimicrobial treatments. The application of strictly lytic bacteriophages (or phages) has been proposed as an alternative (or complement) to conventional antibiotics, allowing release of the natural predators of bacteria directly to the site of infection. In the present research effort, production of bacteriophage derivatives (starting from lytic phage particle isolates), encompassing full stabilization of their three-dimensional structure, has been attempted via housing said bacteriophage particles within lipid nanovesicles integrating a multiple water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion. As a proof-of-concept for the aforementioned strategy, bacteriophage particles with broad lytic spectrum were entrapped within the aqueous core of lipid nanoballoons integrating a W/O/W multiple emulsion. Long-term storage of the multiple emulsions produced did not lead to leaching of phage particles, thus proving the effectiveness of the encapsulation procedure.