HOCl-producing Electrochemical Bandage is Active in Murine Polymicrobial Wound Infection

Fleming, D.; Bozyel, I.; Koscianski, C. A.; Ozdemir, D.; Karau, M. J.; Cuello, L.; Anoy, M. M. I.; Gelston, S.; Schuetz, A. N.; Greenwood-Quaintance, K. E.; Mandrekar, J. N.; Beyenal, H.; Patel, R.

doi:10.1101/2024.03.19.585100

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.03.19.585100

HOCl-producing Electrochemical Bandage is Active in Murine Polymicrobial Wound Infection

Fleming, D.·Bozyel, I.·Koscianski, C. A.·Ozdemir, D.·Karau, M. J.·Cuello, L.·Anoy, M. M. I.·Gelston, S.·Schuetz, A. N.·Greenwood-Quaintance, K. E.·Mandrekar, J. N.·Beyenal, H.·Patel, R.

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Abstract

Wound infections, exacerbated by the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, necessitate innovative antimicrobial approaches. Polymicrobial infections, often involving Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), present formidable challenges due to biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a potent antimicrobial agent produced naturally by the immune system, holds promise as an alternative therapy. An electrochemical bandage (e-bandage) that generates HOCl in situ was evaluated for treatment of murine wound biofilm infections containing both MRSA and P. aeruginosa with "difficult-to-treat" resistance. Previously, the HOCl-producing e-bandage was shown to reduce wound biofilms containing P. aeruginosa alone. Compared to non-polarized e-bandage (no HOCl production) and Tegaderm only controls, the polarized e-bandages reduced bacterial loads in wounds infected with MRSA plus P. aeruginosa (MRSA: vs Tegaderm only - 1.4 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.0015, vs. non-polarized - 1.1 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.026. P. aeruginosa: vs Tegaderm only - 1.6 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.0015, vs non-polarized - 1.6 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.0032), and MRSA alone (vs Tegaderm only - 1.3 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.0048, vs. non-polarized - 1.1 log10 CFU/g, p = 0.0048), without compromising wound healing or causing tissue toxicity. Addition of systemic antibiotics did not enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of e-bandages, highlighting their potential as standalone therapies. This study provides additional evidence for the HOCl-producing e-bandage as a novel antimicrobial strategy for managing wound infections, including in the context of antibiotic resistance and polymicrobial infections.

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Fleming, D., Bozyel, I., Koscianski, C. A., Ozdemir, D., Karau, M. J., Cuello, L., Anoy, M. M. I., Gelston, S., Schuetz, A. N., Greenwood-Quaintance, K. E., Mandrekar, J. N., Beyenal, H., Patel, R.. 2024-03-19. HOCl-producing Electrochemical Bandage is Active in Murine Polymicrobial Wound Infection. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.19.585100

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