Virus-like-inspired nanoparticles facilitate bacterial internalization for enhanced eradication of drug-resistant pathogens

Abstract

The emergence and rapid spread of bacterial resistance pose an extremely serious threat to treating infections. Inspired by the important role the spiny surface structure of a virus plays in mediating virus invasion, a spiny nanoplatform was designed and developed to eliminate drug-resistant pathogens. This biomimetic spiky surface structure increased not only the capture and internalization of bacteria but also the efficiency of light-to-heat conversion (∼36.27%), which facilitates bacterial elimination with an efficiency of around 100%. Notably, the spiny structure and surface chemical modification of the nanoplatform have a synergistic effect on the capture and phagocytosis of bacteria, which protect host cells from bacteria-triggered damage. The biomimetic nanoplatform possesses excellent biocompatibility and could also effectively disperse biofilm. Overall, the designed virus-like nanoplatform provides a reliable tool for the development of a new generation of biomimetic antibacterial agents and shows excellent prospects in fighting bacterial infection.