(465g) Specifically Tuned Light Activated Nano-Therapeutics for Selective Killing of Multi Drug Resistant Bacterial Strains

The recent surge of drug-resistant superbugs and shrinking antibiotic pipeline are serious challenges to global health. Here we present a novel nanoparticle-based therapy where the nanoparticles specifically target selective cell phenotypes based on their biochemical potentials. Using a specific light induced targeting mechanism, these light-activated reactive species (LARS) have the capability to target and kill specific-pathogens on illumination with visible light, without affecting the growth of other cells. While the growth of selected cells and the targeted pathogens is unaffected in dark, we demonstrate that LARS can eliminate a broad range of multi-drug resistant bacterial strains including extended spectrum beta lactamase Escherichia coli, carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, we demonstrate a potential therapeutic intervention with co-culture of E. coli and HEK293 cells, providing evidence that LARS is capable of removing an infection while leaving mammalian tissue intact. Finally, we designed different LARS species which are capable of promoting proliferation of targeted cells when induced with light. The ability to tune the biochemical potential of nanoparticles allows for selective cell phenotypes over a range of organisms, and has potential applications in antimicrobials and targeted organism-specific therapeutics.