Articles & Issues
- Language
- English
- Conflict of Interest
- In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.
- Publication history
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Received July 12, 2025
Revised September 18, 2025
Accepted October 18, 2025
Available online January 26, 2026
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This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
All issues
Enhanced Biofilm Inhibition via Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS)-Binding Liposomes
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-025-00583-1
Abstract
Treating infectious diseases with current available antimicrobial drugs is extremely difficult due to biofilms that act as
barriers and reduce the concentration of antimicrobial agents that reach the bacteria embedded in the biofilms. In this
study, we hypothesized that extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-binding liposomes anchor to biofilm matrices and
sterically block the communication between bacteria, leading to biofilm inhibition. A 16-mer peptide, which binds to hyaluronic
acid as one of the EPS, was covalently conjugated to PEG (polyethylene glycol)-lipid for producing EPS-binding
liposomes. The effect of the liposomes on inhibiting or eradicating biofilm formation was investigated, compared to the
bare liposomes. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement results showed that the EPS-binding liposomes and bare
liposomes have a particle size of < 200 nm and nearly neutral zeta potential. The molecular interaction of EPS extracted
from S. aureus biofilm with EPS-binding liposomes and free EPS-binding peptides was determined using isothermal titration
calorimetry (ITC) and the result revealed that EPS-binding liposome (Ka ~ 4.82 × 105) has better affinity than the free
EPS-binding peptides (Ka ~ 1.79 × 103). The minimal biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) assay showed EPS-binding
liposomes have a better biofilm inhibition effect, in a dose-dependent manner, compared to the bare liposomes and free
EPS-binding peptides. Physical disruption and blocking chemical communication via biofilm binding are likely a key
mechanism behind the effectiveness of EPS-binding liposomes in biofilm inhibition although further study is needed.

