Targeted Theranostics for Tuberculosis: A Rifampicin-Loaded Aggregation-Induced Emission Carrier for Granulomas Tracking and Anti-Infection

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) causes a global burden with its high rates of infection and death, especially the irrepressible threats of latent infection and drug resistance. Therefore, it is important to construct efficient theranostics for the prevention and control of TB. Herein, we created a targeted theranostic strategy for TB with a rifampicin-loaded aggregation-induced emission (AIE) carrier and performed testing in laboratory animals. The AIE carrier was constructed to localize in the granulomas and emit fluorescent signals at the early stage of infection, enabling the early diagnosis of TB. Subsequently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated to eradicate infection, and the loaded rifampicin (RIF) was released for the synergistic treatment of persistent bacteria. Furthermore, targeted TB therapy was performed with the light-controlled release of ROS and accurate delivery of RIF, which realizes an antiinfection effect, providing an especially important treatment for drug-resistant TB. Thus, targeted theranostics for TB in laboratory animals possess the potential to become granulomas-tracking and anti-infection strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of TB.

Delivery by Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Enhances the Antimicrobial Activity of a Napsin‐Derived Peptide Against Intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…[ 3 ] Recent literature reports the application of photodynamic therapy by targeting functional nanoparticles to tuberculous granulomas as a new strategy for tuberculosis therapy. [ 4,5 ] Besides such alternative therapeutic approaches the search for novel antimycobacterial agents is in the focus of tuberculosis research, among which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a promising class of molecules. [ 6–8 ] An independent but complementary approach is the development of delivery platforms that improve the uptake and intracellular trafficking of antimicrobial compounds to the intracellular compartment in which the bacteria reside.…”

Photoclick Reaction Programming Glutathione-Responsive System for Granuloma-Tracking and Anti-Tuberculosis

“…[29][30] And this is why patients with TB require lengthy multidrug therapy, which would increase the risk of multidrug resistance. As we reported in ACS Nano, 23 the granuloma formation possesses the effect of enhanced permeability and retention, which provides the possibility for targeted diagnosis and therapy.…”

“…[14][15][16][17] Although rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid have been widely chosen as clinical anti-tubercular drugs due to their excellent effectiveness and reasonable price, [18][19][20][21][22] their short plasma-life and relatively low concentration in tuberculosis granulomas, and the inescapable side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs have drawn growing attention from interdisciplinary and clinical medicine research circles. [23][24][25] Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an e cient chemotherapy strategy for tuberculosis.…”

Aggregation‐enhanced theranostics: AIE sparkles in biomedical field

“…Reproduced with permission: Copyright 2019, John Wiley and Sons [123] each other and achieve enhanced treatment effects. [125,126] Tang' group constructed a reduction-sensitive co-delivery system named DEB/TQR@PMP NPs by encapsulating a NIR-emissive AIE-active PS (DEB) and a drug resistance inhibitor (TQR) inside the polymeric prodrug PMP-formed nanomicelles. [127] Experimental measurements proved that the DEB/TQR@PMP NPs exhibited a outstanding PDT-CHT synergistic lethal effect against multidrug-resistant SKOV-3 cells and could apparently enhance the antitumor effect as compared to sole PDT or CHT on the SKOV-3 tumorbearing mice.…”