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Updated: Oct 21, 2026
Combined In vivo Optical and µCT Imaging to Monitor Infection, Inflammation, and Bone Anatomy in an Orthopaedic Implant Infection in Mice
Published on: October 16, 2014
Bionic nanocoating-mediated near-infrared persistent luminescence photodynamic system for the treatment of
Zhirui Xue1, Jinquan Cui1, Xiaolei Zhang1
1Department of Joint Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250021, China; Orthopaedic Research Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250021, China.
Abstract:
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a catastrophic complication of arthroplasty, notoriously difficult to treat due to bacterial biofilms and escalating antibiotic resistance. To address this, we designed a smart, biomimetic photodynamic coating (PL-PS@Ti) for titanium implants, utilizing near-infrared persistent luminescence nanoparticles (NLPLNPs) to achieve deep-tissue, on-demand antibacterial and osteogenic efficacy. We synthesized chromium/europium-doped zinc gallate NLPLNPs coated with dendritic mesoporous silica and conjugated with a silicon phthalocyanine photosensitizer (ZGO NP@DMSN-Si-Pc, or PL-PS). A copper-coordinated polyphenol network anchored these nanocomposites to titanium substrates. We evaluated the acid-responsive singlet oxygen (1O₂) generation and 808 nm-reactivable afterglow of the coating, followed by validation in cell cultures and a rat PJI model. The acidic PJI microenvironment triggered robust 1O₂ generation, which was sustained by periodic 808 nm excitation. In vitro, the coating was highly biocompatible and achieved a 99.5% bactericidal rate. In the rat PJI model, 808 nm activation effectively cleared periprosthetic bacteria and resolved local inflammation. The coating also promoted osseointegration, yielding a bone volume fraction (BV/TV) of 20.66% at the implant interface four weeks post-treatment. The PL-PS@Ti nanocoating provides a microenvironment-responsive, antibiotic-free strategy to manage implant infections. By utilizing reactivable persistent luminescence, it bypasses the thermal damage risks of continuous irradiation. This dual capacity for broad-spectrum bactericidal activity and bone regeneration offers a practical and translatable intervention for arthroplasty-associated infections.
