journal article·2026-03

AIE‐Powered Nanosoldiers for Precision Disruption of Biofilm's Extracellular Defense in Infection Treatment

Wei Lu, Zhurun Fang, Xiaolong Zhu, Yan Xu, Ben Zhong Tang, Mingqian Wang, Yuanyuan Li, Yi Zhang, Ming Zhang

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 18
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Abstract

Abstract Bacterial biofilm infections are currently a global health challenge because the presence of biofilms prevents drug penetration and triggers inflammation that is difficult to eradicate. The need to develop new strategies to treat chronic inflammation caused by bacterial films is crucial. In this study, aggregation‐induced emission luminophores (AIEgens) named TDTNI are designed, synthesized, and self‐assembled into nanoparticles (TDTNI NPs). They have highly efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) properties, effectively inactivating Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) and Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P. gingivalis ), inhibiting the formation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms, and reducing bacterial adhesion. S. aureus‐ infected mouse wound experiments and rat periodontitis treatment experiments further demonstrated that TDTNI NPs have good bacterial membrane‐scavenging properties and EPS‐targeting ability, promote wound healing and periodontitis treatment, and have almost no side effects on the organisms themselves. Furthermore, they can eliminate stains that adhere to the enamel surface without damaging the enamel and periodontal tissues. They have strong photoacoustic/photothermal imaging capabilities, and in vivo experiments have demonstrated excellent resolution and tissue penetration capabilities. Given the exemplary demonstration, the superiority of TDTNI NPs in treating bacterial biofilm‐infected wounds and periodontitis makes them promising candidates for application in the treatment of bacterial biofilm infections.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics · Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials · Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries School of Chemistry and Materials Science Nanjing Normal University Nanjing 210023 P. R. China

The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Research Prevention and Treatment for Oral Diseases Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029 P. R. China

Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Aggregate Science School of Science and Engineering Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK‐Shenzhen) Shenzhen 518172 P. R. China

State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine Jilin University Changchun 130062 P. R. China

Department of Hand and Foot Surgery Zibo Central Hospital No. 54 Gongqingtuan West Road, Zibo Shandong P. R. China

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