A Glucose-Powered Activatable Nanozyme Breaking pH and H2O2 Limitations for Treating Diabetic Infections

The peroxidase-like activity of nanozymes is promising for chemodynamic therapy by catalyzing H2O2 into (OH)-O-.. However, for most nanozymes, this activity is optimal just in acidic solutions, while the pH of most physiological systems is beyond 7.0 (even >8.0 in chronic wounds) with inadequate H2O2. We herein communicate an activatable nanozyme with targeting capability to simultaneously break the local pH and H2O2 limitations under physiological conditions. As a proof of concept, aptamer-functionalized nanozymes, glucose oxidase, and hyaluronic acid constitute an activatable nanocapsule APGH, which can be activated by bacteria-secreted hyaluronidase in infected wounds. Nanozymes bind onto bacteria through aptamer recognition, and glucose oxidation tunes the local pH down and supplements H2O2 for the in-situ generation of (OH)-O-. on bacteria surfaces. The activity switching and enhanced antibacterial effect of the nanocapsule were verified in vitro and in diabetic wounds. This strategy for directly regulating local microenvironment is generally accessible for nanozymes, and significant for facilitating biological applications of nanozymes.

Automated summary

This study presents an activatable nanozyme with targeting capability to overcome the local pH and H2O2 limitations under physiological conditions, demonstrating potential for treating chronic wounds.