M.Sc Student | Zach-Maor Adva |
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Subject | Inactivation of Biofilm by Aluminum Phthalocyanine |
Department | Department of Chemistry | Supervisor | Professor Israel Schechter |
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which has been used so far
just as a cancer treatment method, was applied in combination with laser
radiation and evaluated for biofilm disinfecting method. The PDT is a binary
therapy, which combines the application of light and light-activated dyes. It
involves the uptake of the photoactive sensitizer into the target cell, and the
generation of toxic oxygen species through direct activation of the
photosensitizer with light. Phthalocyanines molecules are second-generation
photosensitizers with enhanced photophysical and photochemical properties, one
of which is chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (ALPc).
In the present study, we investigated the phototoxic
potential of the combination of unsulphonated ALPc and laser irradiation
towards P.aeruginosa biofilm.
After preincubation of the biofilm with ALPc we used
laser irradiation as the light energy source in order to do both - activate the
photosensitizer inside the biofilm cells and to enhance the remain
phthalocyanine transport into the biofilm matrix by damaging its structure. We
studied the synergistic effect of using both methods (PDT and laser
irradiation), with different ALPc dilutions and different light energy doses,
most effective killing was achieved with ALPc concentration of 20x10-6 mg/ml,
however when different light doses were used upon irradiation, no significant
change in the biofilm survival was found. Another experiment was conducted with
ALPc sulphonated derivative - tetra sulphonated phthalocyanine (ALPcS4) that
had shown lower toxicity levels towards the biofilm matrix.
The results showed that phthalocyanines are extremely
powerful and aggressive towards bacterial biofilms and the combination of both
methods (ALPc and laser) is even more effective. This good efficacy suggests
that the proposed technique is a potential disinfecting method towards
bacterial biofilms.