Effective reduction of biofilm through photothermal therapy by gold core@shell based mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Bacterial biofilms can initiate chronic infections that become difficult to eradicate. There is an unmet need for effective therapeutic strategies that control and inhibit the growth of these biofilms. Herein, light sensitive mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with photothermal (PTT) and antimicrobial combined capabilities have been developed. These nanosystems have high therapeutic potential to affect the bacterial biofilm architecture and subsequently inhibit its growth. Nucleation of gold nanorods followed by the growth of a silica shell leads to a core@shell design (AuNR@MSN) with PTT properties. Incorporation of nitrosothiol groups (-SNO) with a heat liable linker, enables an enhanced nitric oxide release upon photothermal stimulation with near infrared radi-ation. Further loading of an antimicrobial molecule such as the levofloxacin (LEVO) antibiotic creates a unique nanoassembly with potential therapeutic efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus bacterial biofilms. A dispersion rate of the bacterial biofilm was evident when light stimuli is applied because impregnation of the nitrosothiol functionalized nanosystem with the antibiotic LEVO led to ca. 30% reduction but its illumination with near infrared (NIR) irradiation showed a biofilm reduction of ca. 90%, indicating that localized antimicrobial expo -sure and PTT improves the therapeutic efficacy. These findings envision the conception of near-infrared-activated nanoparticle carriers capable of combined therapy upon NIR irradiation, which enables photo-thermal therapy, together with the release of levofloxacin and nitric oxide to disrupt the integrity of bacterial biofilms and achieve a potent antimicrobial therapy.

Automated summary

This study developed light-sensitive mesoporous silica nanoparticles with combined photothermal and antimicrobial capabilities for targeting bacterial biofilms. The nanosystems exhibited high therapeutic potential by affecting biofilm architecture and inhibiting its growth. The incorporation of nitrosothiol groups and an antimicrobial molecule such as levofloxacin showed promising results in reducing biofilm dispersion and achieving potent antimicrobial therapy.