Valence-switchable and biocatalytic vanadium-based MXene nanoplatform with photothermal-enhanced dual enzyme-like activities for anti-infective therapy

Nanocatalytic technology is a promising approach for anti-infective therapy based on artificial nanoscale enzyme mimics (nanozymes). Nevertheless, the complex infective microenvironment and single catalytic mechanism restrict the catalytic activity of nanozyme, making it difficult to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Herein, we developed vanadium nitride MXene (V2N) by a modified chemical exfoliation approach. Benefiting from the valence-switchable state and large specific surface area of V2N, which possesses superior intrinsic dual enzyme -like (oxidase-like and peroxidase-like) catalytic activities in weak acidic conditions (mimic biofilm microenvi-ronment). Typically, V2N exhibited desirable photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) in the second near -infrared (NIR-II) window, which can remarkably enhance the dual enzyme-like catalytic activities and avoid local hyperthermia to damage surrounding normal tissue. These integrated merits enable the V2N to generate abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) to effectively eradicate bacteria in vitro and promote the healing of subcutaneous abscesses with negligible toxicity in vivo. Overall, this work proposed a promising strategy based on photothermal-enhanced dual enzyme-like catalytic activities for effective anti-infective therapy.

Automated summary

This study developed vanadium nitride MXene (V2N) with superior catalytic activity as a nanozyme. V2N exhibited dual enzyme-like (oxidase-like and peroxidase-like) catalytic activity and generated reactive oxygen species at the nanoscale, thus effectively eradicating bacteria in vitro and promoting the healing of subcutaneous abscesses.