Influence of aptamer-targeted antibiofilm agents for treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

Biofilms are bacterial communities consisting of numerous extracellular polymeric substances. Infections caused by biofilm-forming bacteria are considered to be a major threat to health security and so novel approaches to control biofilm are of importance. Aptamers are single-strand nucleic acid molecules that have high selectivity to their targets. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are common nanomaterials and have been shown to be toxic to bacterial biofilms. The aim of this study was to test whether an aptamer could play a role as targeting agents to enhance the efficiency of anti-biofilm agents. Hence, two complexes (aptamer–SWNTs and aptamer–ciprofloxacin–SWNTs) based on an aptamer which targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa and SWNTs were constructed. Both complexes were assessed against P. aeruginosa biofilms. In vitro tests demonstrated that the aptamer–SWNTs could inhibit ~36% more biofilm formation than SWNTs alone. Similarly, the aptamer–ciprofloxacin–SWNTs had a higher anti-biofilm efficiency than either component or simple mixtures of two components. Our study underscores the potential of aptamers as targeting agents for anti-biofilm compounds, as well as providing a new strategy to control biofilms.