ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Research Article | Open Access
Hend Algadi1, Mohammed Abdelfatah Alhoot1,2 and Laith A. Yaaqoob3
1School of Graduate Studies, Postgraduate Centre, Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
2International Medical School, Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
3Science College, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Article Number: 10747 | © The Author(s). 2025
J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2025;19(4):3156-3171. https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.19.4.57
Received: 06 July 2025 | Accepted: 29 October 2025 | Published online: 08 December 2025
Issue online: December 2025
Abstract

This study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy, biofilm inhibition capabilities, and synergistic potential of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) against biofilm-forming Klebsiella pneumoniae, uniquely exploring previously unexplored mechanisms, particularly their influence on critical biofilm-associated gene regulatory networks. CuONPs were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), with antibacterial activity assessed through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Synergistic effects with antibiotics (Clindamycin, Bactrim, and Imipenem) were evaluated using disc diffusion methods, while biofilm inhibition was quantified via microtiter plate assays and bacterial reduction rates were assessed by time-kill kinetics. Additionally, qRT-PCR was employed to analyze expression changes of biofilm-related genes (luxS, mrkA, fimA, rcsA, and kpa). Results demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity of CuONPs against K. pneumoniae with consistent MIC and MBC values at 50 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml, respectively, significant antibiotic synergism with reductions in required dosages by 40%-60%, notable biofilm impairment up to 80%, rapid bacterial decline within 2-4 hours, and significant downregulation of biofilm-associated genes mrkA, fimA, and luxS (up to 5-fold). In conclusion, CuONPs exhibit pronounced antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties, significantly enhanced by antibiotic synergy, providing novel insights into biofilm regulatory mechanisms and highlighting their clinical potential for treating multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections.

Keywords

Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuONPs), Antibacterial Activity, Biofilm Inhibition, Antimicrobial Resistance

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© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, sharing, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.