Researchers Develop Effective Strategy for Disrupting Bacterial Biofilms

June 30, 2016






"One method that we and many of our colleagues who also study biofilms rely upon is to allow the bacteria we are specifically interested in to form a biofilm in a special culture vessel in the lab," says Bakaletz. "Once that biofilm is mature, we then attempt to disrupt it by targeting specific bacterial proteins within the biofilm."

Using a form of microscopy called confocal scanning light microscopy and COMSTAT analysis software, a program that analyzes image stacks of biofilms, they were able to take a series of images of the biofilm both before and after treatment, according to researchers. This allowed them to determine how effectively they had disrupted the biofilm and released the bacteria that created it.

Of the results, Bakaletz explains, "We showed that our biofilm disruption technology was highly effective against many different bacteria that cause a variety of human diseases; that it worked synergistically with a traditional antibiotic -- tobramyacin, which alone was completely ineffective against the biofilm; and further, that it also worked very well in two unique models of human respiratory tract disease."

The monoclonal antibodies used in these studies -- a type of protein made in the laboratory that can bind specifically to its DNABII protein target -- are presently being adapted for delivery to human patients in clinical trials, says Bakaletz.

"We are very excited to develop this technology further, with the hope of making a difference in both human and animal health," adds Goodman. "We are currently both raising funds and identifying partners that can help us achieve these goals."

Reference: Novotny LA, Jurcisek JA, Goodman SD, Bakaletz LO. Monoclonal antibodies against DNA-binding tips of DNABII proteins disrupt biofilms in vitro and induce bacterial clearance in vivo. EBioMedicine. 2016 Jun 16.

Source: Nationwide Children's Hospital