MnOx nanoflower-based ultrasound-responsive drug delivery for sonodynamic therapy of wound infections

Abstract

The rapid spread of drug-resistant bacterial infections has become a major global health challenge, particularly in the treatment of deep organ abscesses, which often lead to severe and life-threatening infections. Traditional light-responsive and microenvironment-responsive nanoparticle drug delivery systems (DDSs) have limitations in treating deep abscesses. In contrast, ultrasound (US)-driven sonodynamic therapy (SDT), with its non-invasive, targeted radiation and excellent tissue penetration capabilities, offers great potential for eradicating deep bacterial infections. This study proposes an ultrasound-driven manganese-based nanoparticle drug delivery system (AMP) for the effective treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. The core of the system is manganese oxide (MnOx) nanoflowers, which serve as the nanoparticle carrier, loaded with the antimicrobial non-antibiotic drug auranofin, and surface-modified with polyethylene glycol to enhance its biocompatibility and drug delivery performance. AMP demonstrates significant antibacterial activity in vitro and effectively promotes wound healing under US-driven stimulation. Furthermore, the potential antibacterial and wound-healing mechanisms of AMP are revealed for the first time. This study cleverly combines non-antibiotic drugs with inorganic nanomaterials to successfully achieve efficient SDT, providing a new and effective strategy for treating deep bacterial infections.