Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are excellent antimicrobial agents and promising candidates for preventing or treating bacterial infections caused by antibiotic resistant strains. However, their increasing use in commercial products raises concerns about their environmental impact. In addition, traditional physicochemical approaches often involve harmful agents and excessive energy consumption, resulting in AgNPs with short-term colloidal stability and silver ion leaching. To address these issues, we designed stable hybrid lignin-silver nanoparticles (AgLigNPs) intended to effectively hit bacterial envelopes as a main antimicrobial target. The lignin nanoparticles (LigNPs), serving as a reducing and stabilizing agent for AgNPs, have a median size of 256 nm and a circularity of 0.985. These LigNPs were prepared using the dialysis solvent exchange method, producing spherical particles stable under alkaline conditions and featuring reducing groups oriented toward a wrinkled surface, facilitating AgNPs synthesis and attachment. Maximum accumulation of silver on the LigNP surface was observed at a mass reaction ratio mAg:mLig of 0.25, at pH 11. The AgLigNPs completely inhibited suspension growth and reduced biofilm development by 50% in three tested strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at a concentration of 80/9.5 (lignin/silver) mg L-1. Compared to unattached AgNPs, AgLigNPs required two to eight times lower silver concentrations to achieve complete inhibition. Additionally, our silver-containing nanosystems were effective against bacteria at safe concentrations in HEK-293 and HaCaT tissue cultures. Stability experiments revealed that the nanosystems tend to aggregate in media used for bacterial cell cultures but remain stable in media used for tissue cultures. In all tested media, the nanoparticles retained their integrity, and the presence of lignin facilitated the prevention of silver ions from leaching. Overall, our data demonstrate the suitability of AgLigNPs for further valorization in the biomedical sector.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are recognized as emerging contaminants, especially in food, with unknown health significance. MNPs passing through the gastrointestinal tract have been brought in context with disruption of the gut microbiome. Several molecular mechanisms have been described to facilitate tissue uptake of MNPs, which then are involved in local inflammatory and immune responses. Furthermore, MNPs can act as potential transporters ("vectors") of contaminants and as chemosensitizers for toxic substances ("Trojan Horse effect"). In this review, we summarize current multidisciplinary knowledge of ingested MNPs and their potential adverse health effects. We discuss new insights into analytical and molecular modeling tools to help us better understand the local deposition and uptake of MNPs that might drive carcinogenic signaling. We present bioethical insights to basically re-consider the "culture of consumerism." Finally, we map out prominent research questions in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

• Klíčová slova
• Bioethics issue, Carcinogenesis, Human health, Microplastic, Nanoplastic,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH