Bacteria responsive polyoxometalates nanocluster strategy to regulate biofilm microenvironments for enhanced...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• Antibiotic-resistant biofilms pose a significant global health threat, hindering antimicrobial treatments.
• Biofilms impede antibiotic penetration, evade immune responses, and promote bacterial resistance.
• Novel strategies and agents are urgently needed to combat biofilm-associated infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a biofilm microenvironment (BME)-responsive antibacterial platform for efficient biofilm elimination.
• To utilize tungsten (W)-polyoxometalate clusters (POMs) for targeted antibacterial effects within biofilms.
• To investigate the dual-responsive nature of POMs in acidic and reductive BME conditions.

Main Methods:

• Rational construction of a tungsten polyoxometalate cluster (POM)-based platform.
• Exploiting the acidity and reducibility of the biofilm microenvironment (BME) for POM self-assembly.
• Utilizing near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation for photothermal conversion and enhanced ROS generation.

Main Results:

• POMs self-assembled into aggregates in the BME, enhancing photothermal conversion under NIR light.
• Reduced POM aggregates exhibited high peroxidase-like activity, catalyzing H2O2 to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS).
• Optimal peroxidase-like activity of reduced POMs was observed in the acidic BME, leading to enhanced biofilm elimination.

Conclusions:

• The developed POM-based platform offers a promising antibacterial agent for combating biofilms.
• Intelligent acid/reductive dual-responsive POMs establish a new paradigm for healthcare applications.
• This approach demonstrates potential for effective biofilm eradication with minimal side effects.