Tailored Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanozymes for Enhanced Enzyme-Like Catalysis

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Catalysis
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The rise of antibiotic resistance poses a critical global health challenge.
• Nanozymes offer innovative therapeutic strategies for combating bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a homogeneous catalytic nanozyme structure using platinum (Pt) nanoclusters within a metal-organic framework (ZIF-8) for treating infected wounds.
• To investigate the enhanced catalytic activity and mechanism of the nanozyme.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Pt nanoclusters integrated into ZIF-8 with tailored pore structures.
• Characterization of catalytic activity, including kinetic analysis and in situ testing.
• Utilizing density-functional theory (DFT) and kinetic simulations to understand the reaction mechanism.
• Employing metabolomics analysis to assess the nanozyme's effect on bacterial metabolism.

Main Results:

• The modified nanozyme exhibited a catalytic capacity 18.7 times higher than unmodified Pt particles.
• A shift in hydrogen peroxide cleavage mechanism (homocleavage to heterocleavage) was identified as key to enhanced activity.
• The nanozyme, via reactive oxygen species, effectively disrupted bacterial energy metabolism, inducing apoptosis and rupture.

Conclusions:

• Engineered nanozymes demonstrate significantly enhanced catalytic efficiency for wound infection treatment.
• Understanding the interplay between catalytic sites and substrate channels is crucial for optimizing nanozyme design.
• This work provides a new paradigm for designing artificial enzymes and developing novel antibiotic alternatives.