A Light-Activated Nickel(II)-Antibiotic Conjugate for Synergistic Antibacterial Therapy

Abstract

Photothermal therapy (PTT) for multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections is often hampered by the risk of non-specific thermal damage. Herein, we report a molecular conjugate, Ni-1-Cip, by linking the antibiotic ciprofloxacin to an efficient nickel(II) photothermal scaffold. The localized hyperthermia generated by nickel(II) core potentiates the antibacterial activity of the conjugated ciprofloxacin, leading to potent eradication of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Furthermore, Ni-1-Cip accelerated the healing of MRSA-infected wounds in a murine model. This study presents a molecular-level strategy for designing targeted PTT agents to combat antibiotic resistance.