The intricate environment of biofilms provides a heaven for bacteria to escape antibiotic eradication, leading to persistent chronic infections. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop effective therapies to combat biofilm‐associated infections. To address this problem, a series of antimicrobial agents are designed and synthesized utilizing triphenylamine imidazole silver complexes (TPIMS). Due to the photoactivated release of Ag+ coupled with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties and efficient 1O2 generation, TPIMS exhibits excellent visual diagnostic capabilities and potent broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity, showing antimicrobial efficacy against both Gram (+) and Gram (−) bacteria. Additionally, TPIMS shows extraordinary antibacterial performance and biofilm resistance against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with reduced potential for resistance thanks to the synergistic effect of phototoxicity and dark toxicity. Notably, among the TPIMS variants tested, TPIMS‐8 has demonstrated exceptional curative ability against resistant bacterial biofilm infections in vivo with minimal side effects. Furthermore, it is applied to clinical samples from infected patients and the results indicated that TPIMS‐8 is able to achieve excellent bacterial‐specific detection and superior killing of drug‐resistant bacteria even in complex systems, demonstrating its great potential for clinical applications. This study presents a promising foundation for the development of advanced antimicrobial therapeutics targeting multidrug‐resistant bacteria and biofilm‐associated infections.
Anticancer drug development
is important for human health, yet
it remains a tremendous challenge. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which
induces cancer cell apoptosis via light-triggered production of reactive
oxygen species, is a promising method. However, it has minimal efficacy
in subcellular targeting, hypoxic microenvironments, and deep-seated
malignancies. Here, we constructed a breast cancer photo-activable
theranostic nanosystem through the rational design of a synthetic
lysosomal-targeted molecule with multifunctions as aggregation-induced
near-infrared (NIR) emission, a photosensitizer (PDT), and organosilver
(chemotherapy) for NIR imaging and synergistic cancer therapy. The
synthetic molecule could self-assemble into nanoparticles (TPIMBS
NPs) and be stabilized with amphiphilic block copolymers for
enhanced accumulation in tumor sites through passive targeting while
reducing the leakage in normal tissues. Through photochemical internalization, TPIMBS NPs preferentially concentrated in the lysosomes of
cancer cells and generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light
irradiation, resulting in lysosomal rupture and release of PSs to
the cytosol, which led to cell apoptosis. Further, the photoinduced
release of Ag+ from TPIMBS NPs could act as
chemotherapy, significantly improving the overall therapeutic efficacy
by synergistic effects with PDT. This research sheds fresh light on
the creation of effective cancer treatments.
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” poses a serious threat to human health. Nanomaterials and cationic polymers have shown unprecedented advantages as effective antimicrobial therapies due to their flexibility and ability to interact with biological macromolecules. They can incorporate a variety of antimicrobial substances, achieving multifunctional effects without easily developing drug resistance. Herein, this article discusses recent advances in cationic polymers and nano-antibacterial materials, including material options, fabrication techniques, structural characteristics, and activity performance, with a focus on their fundamental active elements.
The
formation of microbial biofilms is acknowledged as a major
virulence factor in a range of persistent local infections. Failures
to remove biofilms with antibiotics foster the emergence of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria and result in chronic infections. As a result, the construction
of effective biofilm-inhibiting and biofilm-eradicating chemicals
is urgently required. Herein, we designed a water-soluble probe APDIS for membrane-active fluorescence and broad-spectrum
antimicrobial actions, particularly against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which shows multidrug
resistance. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate its high antibacterial effects comparable
to vancomycin. Furthermore, it inhibits biofilm formation by effectively
killing planktonic bacteria at low inhibitory concentrations, without
toxicity to mammalian cells. More importantly, this probe can efficiently
penetrate through biofilm barriers and exterminate bacteria that are
enclosed within biofilms and startle existing biofilms. In the mouse
model of implant-related biofilm infections, this probe exhibits strong
antibiofilm activity against MRSA biofilms, thus providing a novel
theranostic strategy to disrupt biofilms in vivo effectively.
Our results indicate that this probe has the potential to be used
for the development of a combinatorial theranostic platform with synergistic
enhanced effects for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial
infections and antibiofilm medications.
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