Robust dual modality antibacterial action using silver-Prussian blue nanoscale coordination polymer

Abstract We report the synthesis of novel silver-doped Prussian blue nanoscale coordination polymers (SPB NCPs), for dual modality photothermal ablation and oxidative toxicity in bacterial cells. The comparison of SPB NCPs (having Fe-CN-Ag bonds) with the conventionally used Prussian blue nanoscale coordination polymers (PB NCPs, having Fe-CN-Fe bonds) was investigated in terms of their physical and therapeutic properties. It was observed that both PB and SPB NCPs have similar physical dimensions, crystalline phase and optical properties. Both these NCPs showed robust photothermal effect by heat generation (hyperthermia) upon exposure to red laser light. However, among the two, only SPB NCP showed oxidase-like activity by generating H2O2 in aqueous medium, presumably due to its silver content. In vitro antibacterial studies revealed that the SPB NCPs, but not PB NCPs, show inherent toxicity towards bacteria with an IC50 value close to 2.5 μg/ml. It can be inferred that this toxicity is oxidative in nature, as a result of the oxidase-like behaviour shown by SPB NCPs. Furthermore, light activation resulted in substantial additional antibacterial effect (photothermal toxicity) in bacterial cells treated with SPB NCPs. In comparison, marginal additional photothermal toxicity was observed in PB NCP-treated bacteria. Thus, we conclude that the combination of dual modality oxidative and photothermal toxicities demonstrated by SPB NCPs, but not by control PB NCPs, makes the former promising antibacterial agents at low dosages.