Metal-Organic Framework-Based Chemo-Photothermal Combinational System for Precise, Rapid, and Efficient Antibacterial...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant global health threat, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• Photothermal therapy offers a promising approach to combatting bacteria with a lower risk of resistance development.
• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging as versatile platforms for drug delivery and therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a chemo-photothermal combinational system based on ZIF-8 and indocyanine green (ICG) for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
• To investigate the synergistic antibacterial effects of photothermal ablation and chemotherapy mediated by Zn2+ ions released from ZIF-8.
• To assess the in vitro and in vivo efficacy and safety of the ZIF-8-ICG system against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) encapsulating indocyanine green (ICG) to form ZIF-8-ICG.
• Evaluation of ZIF-8-ICG's photothermal properties under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation for bacterial ablation.
• Assessment of Zn2+ ion-mediated antibacterial effects and enhancement of photothermal therapy.
• In vitro and in vivo studies using MRSA-induced murine subcutaneous abscess models to determine therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Main Results:

• ZIF-8-ICG demonstrated efficient heat generation upon NIR laser irradiation, leading to rapid and effective photothermal bacterial ablation.
• Released Zn2+ ions from ZIF-8 enhanced antibacterial activity by increasing bacterial membrane permeability and reducing heat resistance.
• The combinational chemo-hyperthermia therapy of ZIF-8-ICG achieved nearly 100% bactericidal efficacy against MRSA-induced abscesses.
• In vitro and in vivo safety evaluations confirmed the low toxicity of the ZIF-8-ICG system.

Conclusions:

• The ZIF-8-ICG chemo-photothermal system is a highly effective strategy for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens.
• This MOF-based nanoplatform offers a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics, particularly for treating challenging infections like MRSA.
• The synergistic action of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy provides a robust approach to overcoming antimicrobial resistance.