Tailoring V-Mo dual active sites nanozymes-induced oxidative damage of bacteria for anti-infection therapy

Bacterial infections continue to pose a serious global health threat, further intensified by the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance. Addressing this urgent challenge, nanozymes—nanomaterials with intrinsic enzyme-like catalytic properties—have gained attention as innovative agents in antimicrobial therapy. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanozymes exhibit peroxidase (POD)-like activity, favorable biocompatibility, and strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, making them highly suitable for applications in photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT). However, their relatively low catalytic efficiency significantly limits their practical utility. In this work, we successfully developed vanadium-doped MoS₂ nanozymes (VDMSNz), which integrate a dual-site cooperative catalytic mechanism to enhance the antibacterial effect. The introduction of vanadium dopants induces local charge redistribution, which significantly enhances the nanozymes catalytic capabilities. In this system, Mo active sites serve as substrate-binding centers, facilitating the near-barrierless dissociation of H₂O₂, while V substitution sites exhibit favorable binding characteristics that promote OH* desorption and the subsequent generation of •OH radicals. Importantly, both in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated that VDMSNz-induced CDT and PTT exhibit potent antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). These findings underscore the potential of VDMSNz as effective therapeutic agents for combating resistant bacterial infections.