Effects of free and liposome-encapsulated antibiotics on adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to collagen type I

The adherence of 27 clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to collagen type I was investigated by using a solid-phase assay. The influence of free antibiotics (amikacin, gentamicin, piperacillin, bacitracin, and polymyxin B) and liposome-entrapped antibiotics (amikacin and polymyxin B) on bacterial attachment to collagen type I was examined. The greatest inhibitory effect was shown for free and liposomal amikacin, which decreased the attachment of 74 and 100% of tested strains, respectively. The mean percent attachment (+/- standard deviation) in the presence of free amikacin was 65.7% (+/- 12.0%) as measured by solid-phase assay. In the presence of liposomal amikacin, the attachment ranged from 17.3% (+/- 6.0%) to 42.1% (+/- 9.4%), depending on the antibiotic solvent. In contrast, polymyxin B, even at a subinhibitory concentration, enhanced attachment of all P. aeruginosa isolates to collagen. Liposomal polymyxin B displayed a protective effect only when the encapsulated drug was of a low concentration. Application of liposome-encapsulated amikacin may be advantageous in injured tissues in which extracellular matrix structures become exposed.