Intelligent bacteria-targeting ZIF-8 composite for fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy of drug-resistant superbug infections and burn wound healing

Infected burn wounds are characterized by persistent drug-resistant bacterial infection coupled with an inflammatory response, impeding the wound-healing process. In this study, an intelligent nanoparticle system (CCM+TTD@ZIF-8 NPs) was prepared using curcumin (CCM), an aggregation-induced emission luminogens (TTD), and ZIF-8 for infection-induced wound healing. The CCM+TTD@ZIF-8 NPs showed multiple functions, including bacteria targeting, fluorescence imaging and pH response-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT), and anti-inflammatory. The positive charges of ZIF-8 NPs allowed the targeting of drug-resistant bacteria in infected wounds, thereby realizing fluorescence imaging of bacteria by emitting red fluorescence at the infected site upon blue light irradiation. The pH-responsive characteristics of the CCM+TTD@ZIF-8 NPs also enabled controllable CCM release onto the infected wound site, thereby promoting the specific accumulation of ROS at the infected site, with outstanding bactericidal efficacy against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) strains in vitro/in vivo. Additionally, due to the excellent bactericidal effect and anti-inflammatory properties of CCM+TTD@ZIF-8 NPs combined with blue light irradiation, the regeneration of epidermal tissue, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition was achieved, accelerating the healing process of infected burn wounds. Therefore, this CCM+TTD@ZIF-8 NPs with multifunctional properties provides great potential for infected burn wound healing.