From the journal:

Chemical Communications

A light-activated nickel(ii)–antibiotic conjugate for synergistic antibacterial therapy

Ruijing Zhang,†a   Yangyuting Zhou,†acd   Zenghui Lin,ab   Xiao-Chun Huang, ORCID logo *cd   Jing Zhang,*b   Song Gao ORCID logo ae  and  Jun-Long Zhang ORCID logo *a  

* Corresponding authors

a Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
E-mail: zhangjunlong@pku.edu.cn

b Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China

c College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shantou University, Guangdong, P. R. China

d Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong 515063, China

e School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China

Abstract

Herein, we report a molecular conjugate, Ni-1-Cip, by linking the antibiotic ciprofloxacin to a Ni(II) scaffold for treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections using photothermal therapy (PTT). The localized hyperthermia generated by the Ni(II) core potentiates the antibacterial activity of the ciprofloxacin, leading to eradication of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) as demonstrated in a murine model.

Graphical abstract: A light-activated nickel(ii)–antibiotic conjugate for synergistic antibacterial therapy

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5CC06624G
Article type
Communication
Submitted
21 Nov 2025
Accepted
13 Jan 2026
First published
14 Jan 2026

Chem. Commun., 2026, Advance Article

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A light-activated nickel(II)–antibiotic conjugate for synergistic antibacterial therapy

R. Zhang, Y. Zhou, Z. Lin, X. Huang, J. Zhang, S. Gao and J. Zhang, Chem. Commun., 2026, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D5CC06624G

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