Hybrid-designed metal-phenolic nanoparticles for synergistic nano-gene periodontal therapy

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease driven by bacterial plaques, causes tooth loss and systemic health issues. Traditional therapies, including mechanical debridement, anti-inflammatory medications, and surgery, often fail to concurrently resolve infection, inflammation, and tissue regeneration, limiting their effectiveness. Using a platform rooted in function-based synthesis and architecture-guided design, miR126@Cu_xO nanoparticles was engineered through a hybrid approach, melding bottom-up assembly of metal-phenolic precursors with top-down phased calcination tailoring. The hollow mesoporous Cu_xO nanoparticles, enriched with oxygen vacancies, exhibiting enhanced peroxidase activity for efficient disinfection and structural adaptability for miRNA-126 delivery. In vitro studies demonstrate that miR126@Cu_xO NPs effectively facilitated endosomal escape, up-regulated targeted gene expression by threefold, and fostered a favorable environment for regeneration. Furthermore, miR126@Cu_xO NPs effectively reduces inflammation and exhibits therapeutic effects in skin defect and periodontitis model. These findings highlight the potential of miR126@Cu_xO NPs as a promising strategy for managing periodontitis, bridging gene therapy and nanotherapeutic regeneration.