Browsing by Author "Jagdale, Gargi"

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    Electroceutical fabric lowers zeta potential and eradicates coronavirus infectivity upon contact
    (Nature, 2021-12) Ghatak, Subhadip; Khona, Dolly K.; Sen, Abhishek; Huang, Kaixiang; Jagdale, Gargi; Singh, Kanhaiya; Gopalakrishnan, Vinoj; Cornetta, Kenneth G.; Roy, Sashwati; Khanna, Savita; Baker, Lane A.; Sen, Chandan K.; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    Coronavirus with intact infectivity attached to PPE surfaces pose significant threat to the spread of COVID-19. We tested the hypothesis that an electroceutical fabric, generating weak potential difference of 0.5 V, disrupts the infectivity of coronavirus upon contact by destabilizing the electrokinetic properties of the virion. Porcine respiratory coronavirus AR310 particles (105) were placed in direct contact with the fabric for 1 or 5 min. Following one minute of contact, zeta potential of the porcine coronavirus was significantly lowered indicating destabilization of its electrokinetic properties. Size-distribution plot showed appearance of aggregation of the virus. Testing of the cytopathic effects of the virus showed eradication of infectivity as quantitatively assessed by PI-calcein and MTT cell viability tests. This work provides the rationale to consider the studied electroceutical fabric, or other materials with comparable property, as material of choice for the development of PPE in the fight against COVID-19.
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    Ketoconazole Resistant Candida albicans is Sensitive to a Wireless Electroceutical Wound Care Dressing
    (Elsevier, 2021) Khona, Dolly K.; Roy, Sashwati; Ghatak, Subhadip; Huang, Kaixiang; Jagdale, Gargi; Baker, Lane A.; Sen, Chandan K.; Surgery, School of Medicine
    Wireless electroceutical dressing (WED) fabric kills bacteria and disrupts bacterial biofilm. This work tested, comparing with standard of care topical antibiotic ketoconazole, whether the weak electric field generated by WED is effective to manage infection caused by ketoconazole-resistant yeast Candida albicans. WED inhibited Candida albicans biofilm formation and planktonic growth. Unlike ketoconazole, WED inhibited yeast to hyphal transition and downregulated EAP1 curbing cell attachment. In response to WED-dependent down-regulation of biofilm-forming BRG1 and ROB1, BCR1 expression was markedly induced in what seems to be a futile compensatory response. WED induced NRG1 and TUP1, negative regulators of filamentation; it down-regulated EFG1, a positive regulator of hyphal pathway. Consistent with the anti-hyphal properties of WED, the expression of ALS3 and HWP1 were diminished. Ketoconazole failed to reproduce the effects of WED on NRG1, TUP1 and EFG1. WED blunted efflux pump activity; this effect was in direct contrast to that of ketoconazole. WED exposure compromised cellular metabolism. In the presence of ketoconazole, the effect was synergistic. Unlike ketoconazole, WED caused membrane depolarization, changes in cell wall composition and loss of membrane integrity. This work presents first evidence that weak electric field is useful in managing pathogens which are otherwise known to be antibiotic resistant.