A croconium-functionalized macrophage biomimetic retention vesicle system for photothermal therapy of infected wounds

Wound healing is vulnerable to bacterial infection and inflammatory storms, prolonging the repair process and increasing the risk of sepsis. The overuse of conventional antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which has become one of the dominant challenges in human health. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a simultaneously effective antibacterial strategy for achieving efficient repair of infectious wounds. Herein, we synthesized a croconium-functionalized macrophage biomimetic retention vesicle system (Cro-CDs@MM) for photothermal therapy (PTT) of <i>staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) infected wounds. Owing to its superior photostability, Cro-CDs@MM efficiently eradicates <i>S. aureus</i> under near-infrared irradiation. More importantly, excess of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be scavenged by Cro-CDs@MM, significantly accelerating cell migration. Taken together, the Cro-CDs@MM biomimetic nanosystem presents an antibiotic-free antibacterial treatment strategy and provides a potential tool for future infectious wound healing management.