Precise photothermal treatment of bacterial infection mediated by charge-switchable nanoplatform with acylsulfonamide betaine surface

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces B, Biointerfaces, 2025-01, Vol.245, p.114362, Article 114362
• Main Authors: Sun, Wenyuan, Hu, Shumin, Lu, Binzhong, Bao, Yu, Guo, Mengyao, Yang, Yingying, Cheng, Qiuli, Zhang, Leitao, Wu, Wenlan, Li, Junbo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Bacterial Infections - therapy; Betaine - chemistry; Betaine - pharmacology; Charge reversal; Copper - chemistry; Copper - pharmacology; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; pH response; Photothermal Therapy; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Sulfonamides - chemistry; Sulfonamides - pharmacology; Surface Properties; Targeted photothermal therapy; Wound healing; Zwitterionic polymer
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114362

Photothermal therapy (PTT) offers a promising approach for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial-infected wounds, yet it requires precise targeting of thermal damage to bacteria rather than healthy tissues. Herein, ultrasmall CuS NPs modified with polyzwitterion containing acylsulfonamide betaine (PCBSA@CuS), which provides a sensitive and reversible charge conversion around pH 6.8, are used to enhance the healing of bacteria-infected wounds. In the acidic infection microenvironment, the majority of PCBSA@CuS can electrostatically adsorb onto bacterial cells through cationic exposure, resulting in direct damage and death of bacteria upon NIR irradiation. Additionally, the photothermal NPs rapidly return to a zwitterionic nature in normal physiological environments, ensuring lower affinity and avoiding thermal damage to healthy tissues during continuous PTT. Compared to inert photothermal systems such as PEG-modified CuS NPs, the NPs used in this study exhibited higher bactericidal and wound healing efficacy. Therefore, this nano-antibacterial agent with highly sensitive thermal-targeting function provides a novel photothermal strategy for efficient and biosafe treatment of infected wounds. •Combining photothermal and targeted therapy to treat drug-resistant bacteria.•Surface modification of PCBSA provides targeting of CuS nanoparticles.•PCBSA@CuS nanoparticles show excellent antimicrobial property upon NIR irradiation.•Establishes a photothermal therapy platform for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections.