Enhanced antibacterial activity of tilmicosin against Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants by chitosan oligosaccharide-sodium carboxymethyl cellulose composite nanogels

Background: The poor bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin resulting in treatment failure for Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants (SASCVs) mastitis. Objectives: This study aimed to increase the bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin for the SASCVs strain and improve the antibacterial effect of tilmicosin against cow mastitis caused by the SASCVs strain. Methods: Tilmicosin-loaded chitosan oligosaccharide (COS)-sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) composite nanogels were formulated by an electrostatic interaction between COS (positive charge) and CMC (negative charge) using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) (ionic crosslinkers). The formation mechanism, structural characteristics, bioadhesion, and antibacterial activity of tilmicosin composite nanogels were studied systematically. Results: The optimized formulation was comprised of 50 mg/mL (COS), 32 mg/mL (CMC), and 0.25 mg/mL (TPP). The size, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of the optimized tilmicosin composite nanogels were 357.4 ± 2.6 nm, 65.4 ± 0.4%, 21.9 ± 0.4%, 0.11 ± 0.01, and -37.1 ± 0.4 mV, respectively; the sedimentation rate was one. Scanning electron microscopy showed that tilmicosin might be incorporated in nano-sized crosslinked polymeric networks. Moreover, adhesive studies suggested that tilmicosin composite nanogels could enhance the bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin for the SASCVs strain. The inhibition zone of native tilmicosin, tilmicosin standard, and tilmicosin composite nanogels were 2.13 ± 0.07, 3.35 ± 0.11, and 1.46 ± 0.04 cm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration of native tilmicosin, tilmicosin standard, and tilmicosin composite nanogels against the SASCVs strain were 2, 1, and 1 ㎍/mL, respectively. The in vitro time-killing curves showed that the tilmicosin composite nanogels increased the antibacterial activity against the SASCVs strain. Conclusions: This study provides a potential strategy for developing tilmicosin composite nanogels to treat cow mastitis caused by the SASCVs strain.