Acid-Induced Self-Catalyzing Platform Based on Dextran-Coated Copper Peroxide Nanoaggregates for Biofilm Treatment

Nanoantibacterial agents based on catalytic activity were limited due to the low levels of endogenous H2O2 in the microenvironment of bacterial biofilms. However, the additional H2O2 will trigger more side effects to healthy surroundings, which is still a great challenge. Herein, we report an acid-induced self-catalyzing platform based on dextran-coated copper peroxide nanoaggregates (DCPNAs) for antibiofilm and local infection therapy applications. The dextran-functionalized DCPNAs were mediated and conveniently purified via a dextran and ethanol precipitation method, which can also cluster nanodots into nanoaggregates and show good penetrability as well as biocompatibility. Bacterial biofilms were inhibited and destroyed by the reactive oxygen species generated from the Fenton reaction between the Cu2+ and H2O2 released from DCPNAs in an acidic environment, which did not require additional H2O2. As expected, the DCPNAs exhibit low cytotoxicity and excellent acid-induced antibacterial and antibiofilm ability. Moreover, the DCPNAs realized great therapeutic outcomes in the application for in vivo wound healing. The overall excellent properties associated with the DCPNAs highlight that they could be considered as a kind of ideal antimicrobial agents for microbial biofilm infection treatment.

Automated summary

The acid-induced self-catalyzing DCPNAs can inhibit and destroy bacterial biofilms through the generation of reactive oxygen species without the need for additional H2O2. They exhibit low cytotoxicity and excellent antibacterial properties, showing great therapeutic outcomes in in vivo wound healing.