Pseudomonas aeruginosa is becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antibiotics due to its production of protein toxins such as exotoxins, pyocyanin, and proteases, as well as siderophores like pyoverdine, which contribute to its pathogenicity and persistence in host environments. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using P. aeruginosa-derived pyoverdine (PVD) as a biological corona, creating targeted nanostructures (PVD-AgNPs) capable of attenuating virulence by inhibiting the production of toxins and virulence factors. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PVD-AgNPs against P. aeruginosa was determined to be 16 μg/mL. At sub-MIC levels, PVD-AgNPs inhibited 90% of initial-stage biofilm formation at 8 μg/mL. Eradication of mature biofilms reached 70.83% at 64 μg/mL (4× MIC). PVD-AgNPs also significantly suppressed the production of key virulence factors: pyocyanin production was reduced by 77.37% at 8 μg/mL, pyoverdine production was inhibited by 97.40% at 2 μg/mL, and protease activity was entirely inhibited at 8 μg/mL. Hemolytic activity was also reduced by 89.26% at 4 μg/mL. Additionally, PVD-AgNPs impaired P. aeruginosa motility, with swarming and swimming motility inhibited by 72.61% and 82.89%, respectively, at 8 μg/mL. These phenotypic changes were confirmed by a downregulation of virulence- and biofilm-associated gene expression. The results highlight PVD-AgNPs as an effective nanomaterial-based strategy to reduce P. aeruginosa pathogenicity through toxin suppression, attenuation of virulence factor production, and biofilm disruption.

Funding: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Ministry of Education (RS-2023-00241461 and RS-2025-00555808).