The overprescription and improper use of
antibiotics have contributed to the evolution of bacterial resistance, making it urgent to develop
alternative therapies and agents with better efficacy as well as less toxicity to combat
bacterial infections and keep new resistance from developing. In this work, a novel light-activable nano-
antibiotic platform (TC-PCM@GNC-PND) was constructed by the incorporation of
gold nanocages (GNC) and two thermosensitive gatekeepers, phase-change materials (PCM) and thermosensitive
polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-
diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PND), to realize precisely the synergy of photothermal and antimicrobial drugs. GNC exhibits an excellent photothermal effect owing to its strong absorbance in the near-infrared (NIR) region, and hollow interiors make it a favorable vehicle for loading various
antibiotics such as
tetracycline (TC). The release of the encapsulated drugs could be precisely controlled by NIR light through the dual thermosensitive interaction of liquid-solid transition of PCM and coil-granule transition of PND, improving efficacy and alleviating side effects with on-demand drug release. The thermosensitive
hydrogel was formed in situ upon application with body temperature, enhancing retention of the
antimicrobial agent in local infectious sites. Highly effective ablation of bacteria is achieved both in vitro and in
periodontitis models with little toxicity owing to the synergy of photothermal effects and chemotherapeutic drug release induced by NIR. This study could provide guidance for the design of antibacterial materials and shed substantial light on synergistic treatment.