On demand functionality of an NIR-enhanced nanozyme catalyst for infected wound healing

Nanozymes with intrinsic enzyme-like activities have demonstrated considerable potential in diverse fields ranging from biosensing to therapeutics. However, their development remains compromised by scientific challenges such as insufficient catalytic efficiency and stability. Herein, we propose an innovative "nano-uniform distribution" strategy to engineer an Au-ceria heterostructure nanocatalyst by in situ anchoring ultrasmall cerium oxide nanoparticles onto Au nanorods. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, this nanocatalyst exhibits not only excellent photothermal properties but also a significantly enhanced enzyme-mimetic catalytic efficiency. Moreover, in the absence of light, it retains robust reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability and good biocompatibility. Subsequent evaluation using an epidermal infected wound model demonstrates that the nanocomposite catalyst exhibits an "all-temporal" therapeutic functionality: with NIR irradiation, the Au-ceria composite nanocatalyst synergistically combats bacterial infection through photothermal and enzymatic catalytic effects; without NIR irradiation, it effectively clears excess ROS and mitigates inflammatory responses. In summary, this study presents a "nano-uniform distribution" strategy that markedly improves the catalytic performance of nanozymes, offering valuable insights for the structural design of nanozymes and their biomedical applications.