ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Chem.
Sec. Nanoscience
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fchem.2025.1654478
Antibacterial effects of coniferyl alcohol-derived dehydrogenation polymer on chlamydial infection in vitro
Provisionally accepted
Anna Pfundner1
Tamara Weinmayer1
Nora Geissler1
Ana Kovacevic2
Dragica Spasojevic3Ksenija Radotic3Marijana Stojanovic4Irma Schabussova1
Ursula Wiedermann1
Aleksandra Inic-Kanada1*- 1Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infeciology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- 2Institut za virusologiju vakcine i serume Torlak, Belgrade, Serbia
- 3Univerzitet u Beogradu Institut za multidisciplinarna istrazivanja, Belgrade, Serbia
- 4Univerzitet u Beogradu Institut za bioloska istrazivanja Sinisa Stankovic, Belgrade, Serbia
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Background Chlamydia trachomatis, Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria, are a leading cause of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, often causing severe complications. With no vaccine available and concerns about potential antibiotic resistance, the need for novel treatments is urgent. Dehydrogenation polymer of coniferyl alcohol in alginate hydrogel (DHP/Alg) has not yet been tested against chlamydial infections. Material and Methods The cytotoxicity of DHP/Alg on A2EN genital epithelial cells was assessed by measuring cell viability. To investigate its effects on Chlamydia-infected cells, we employed flow cytometry-based assays, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Additionally, adhesion assays were performed to examine whether DHP/Alg interferes with Chlamydia entry into host cells. Results No cytotoxic effects of DHP/Alg in tested concentrations on A2EN cells were observed, confirming its safety. Infection and adhesion assays demonstrated a significant reduction in infection levels, suggesting that DHP/Alg directly targets Chlamydia elementary bodies, thereby disrupting their ability to adhere and initiate infection. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that 75 µg/mL DHP/Alg is the most effective dose evaluated to reduce chlamydial infection in vitro, as indicated by the decreased number of inclusions. These findings were further confirmed by qPCR analysis. Conclusion Our results suggest that DHP/Alg is a promising therapeutic option against chlamydial infections. The significant reduction in adhesion levels indicates that DHP/Alg effectively interferes with the initial stages of infection.
Keywords: Chlamydial infection, Sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia trachomatis, Treatment, Lignin, Dehydrogenation polymer
Received: 26 Jun 2025; Accepted: 29 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Pfundner, Weinmayer, Geissler, Kovacevic, Spasojevic, Radotic, Stojanovic, Schabussova, Wiedermann and Inic-Kanada. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Aleksandra Inic-Kanada, aleksandra.inic-kanada@meduniwien.ac.at
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.