Non-thermal plasma radiation-induced changes in antibiotic susceptibility and protein profile of Staphylococcus aureus

Mehrdad  Rabbani-Esfahani; Lida Ghaderi; Parisa Shali; Alireza Ghassempour; Seyed Iman Hosseini; Atousa Aliahmadi

doi:10.18502/ijm.v15i4.13508

Mehrdad Rabbani-Esfahani Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Lida Ghaderi Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Parisa Shali Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Alireza Ghassempour Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Iman Hosseini Faculty of Physics, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
Atousa Aliahmadi Department of Biology, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v15i4.13508

Keywords: Plasma radiation; Staphylococcus aureus; Modification; Mass spectrometry

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Plasma radiation is a widely used technique for sterilization or decontamination in various industries, as well as in some healthcare settings such as dentistry. The primary aim of this study was to assess the potential of plasma radiation to create a new population of Staphylococcus aureus cells with distinct characteristics that could lead to novel healthcare challenges.

Materials and Methods: A homemade non-thermal plasma apparatus was applied and the effects of plasma treatment on S. aureus ATCC25923 was assessed. Plasma radiation was applied under controlled conditions to ensure that some bacterial cells remained viable. The treatment was repeated 10 times, with each round followed by a recovery phase to collect any surviving bacterial cells. To assess the potential changes in the bacterial population, we examined the antibiotic susceptibility pattern, micro-structural characteristics using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and total protein profile using the ma- trix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) technique.

Results: The experimental results revealed slight variations in the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of certain cell wall agents (imipenem, cephalothin, and cefepime), as well as in the MALDI-TOF spectra. However, no changes were observed in the SEM images.

Conclusion: The insufficient application of non-thermal plasma in bacterial decontamination may lead to physiological changes that could enrich or select certain subpopulations of S. aureus.