Description:
Reference #: 01089
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for a novel method of combating bacterial infections without using antibiotics.
Invention Description:
The subject invention disrupts bacterial chemical communication using nanoparticles engineered with cyclodextrin compounds that bind and remove the molecules involved in chemical signaling.
Potential Applications:
Antibacterial
Advantages and Benefits:
1. Controls bacterial growth without using conventional antibiotics, thereby eliminating the risk of creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria
2. Saturates the bacterial environment with cyclodextrin compounds to effectively prevent quorum sensing and limit the ability of bacteria to grow and act as a infection
Background:
Bacteria communicate with chemical languages that allow them to synchronize their behavior. This process is called quorum sensing, and it enables bacteria to successfully infect and cause disease in other organisms. Investigations of the molecular mechanisms underlying quorum sensing are leading to the development of new, non-cytotoxic antibiotics.
Cyclodextrin is a compound whose properties block the chemical signals involved in communication among bacteria to initiate activities such as pathogenesis, toxin production, and biofilm formation that lead to infections. This technology is the first reported use of combining nanoparticles and cyclodextrin to block quorum sensing.