Construction of pH-Responsive Copper Sulfide Nanocomposites and Their Photothermal/Chemodynamic Synergistic Antibacterial Studies

Abstract

Drug-resistant bacterial biofilm infections represent a significant danger to global public health. The efficacy of conventional antibiotics is not satisfactory enough, photothermal therapy (PTT) in combination with chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is an effective antimicrobial strategy. To reduce bacterial resistance performance and enhance antibacterial ability, this project proposes to construct a nanocomposite CuS-CaO₂–Res@ZIF-8 formed by photothermite CuS nanoparticles as the core and mesoporous organometallic framework ZIF-8 as the shell. This nanocomposite synergized with the group-sensing inhibitor resveratrol for the acid-induced release of antibacterial components. Ultimately, the targeted disruption of biocoated membranes was achieved by the synergistic action of PTT and CDT. The in vitro/in vivo antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity assays of CuS-CaO₂–Res@ZIF-8 were performed to explore its antimicrobial properties. The results indicate that CuS-CaO₂–Res@ZIF-8 can effectively achieve bacterial inhibition while avoiding antibiotics. As a powerful agent against biofilm infections, CuS-CaO₂–Res@ZIF-8 offers a promising strategy for designing antimicrobial nanomaterials tailored to the unique characteristics of the biofilm microenvironment, demonstrating significant potential for future clinical applications.