Trigo-Gutierrez, Jeffersson Krishan [UNESP]Calori, Italo Rodrigode Oliveira Bárbara, Geovana [UNESP]Pavarina, Ana Claudia [UNESP]Gonçalves, Renato SonchiniCaetano, WilkerTedesco, Antonio ClaudioMima, Ewerton Garcia de Oliveira [UNESP]2023-07-292023-07-292023-01-01Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 14.1664-302Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/11449/249931Nanocarriers have been successfully used to solubilize, deliver, and increase the bioavailability of curcumin (CUR), but slow CUR release rates hinder its use as a topical photosensitizer in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. A photo-responsive polymer (PRP) was designed for the light-triggered release of CUR with an effective light activation-dependent antimicrobial response. The characterization of the PRP was compared with non-responsive micelles comprising Pluronics™ P123 and F127. According to the findings, the PRP formed photo-responsive micelles in the nanometric scale (< 100 nm) with a lower critical micelle concentration (3.74 × 10−4 M−1, 5.8 × 10−4 M−1, and 7.2 × 10−6 M−1 for PRP, F127, P123, respectively, at 25°C) and higher entrapment efficiency of CUR (88.7, 77.2, and 72.3% for PRP, F127, and P123 micelles, respectively) than the pluronics evaluated. The PRP provided enhanced protection of CUR compared to P123 micelles, as demonstrated in fluorescence quenching studies. The light-triggered release of CUR from PRP occurred with UV light irradiation (at 355 nm and 25 mW cm−2) and a cumulative release of 88.34% of CUR within 1 h compared to 80% from pluronics after 36 h. In vitro studies showed that CUR-loaded PRP was non-toxic to mammal cell, showed inactivation of the pathogenic microorganisms Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and decreased biofilm biomass when associated with blue light (455 nm, 33.84 J/cm2). The findings show that the CUR-loaded PRP micelle is a viable option for antimicrobial activity.engbacteriafungilightmicellesPhotochemotherapyArtigo10.3389/fmicb.2023.11327812-s2.0-85158009632