Gold Nanoclusters Photosensitizers With Weakened Bacterial Virulence And Biofilm Formation

Indocyanine Green (ICG) sensitized gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) were developed as multi-sized photosensitizers to enhance near-infrared (NIR) absorption and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In vivo and in vitro experiments explored the antibacterial and tissue repair effects of ICG-AuNCs in oral and maxillofacial infections. In vivo and in vitro experiments explored the antibacterial biofilm activity and tissue repair effects of ICG-AuNCs in oral and maxillofacial infections, as well as their underlying biological mechanisms. The study characterized ICG-AuNCs using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and density functional theory. Cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, antibacterial assays, in vivo experiments, and transcriptomic sequencing were performed to evaluate the safety, biocompatibility, and therapeutic potential of ICG-AuNCs. ICG-AuNCs effectively penetrate bacterial biofilms, disrupt bacterial cell walls, generate intracellular photogenerated ROS, and achieve bactericidal efficiency across three orders of magnitude, while promoting wound healing in animal models. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that ICG-Au15NCs inhibited key pathways such as quorum sensing, Staphylococcus aureus infection, and ABC transporters, thereby reducing biofilm formation and bacterial virulence. ICG-AuNCs is a promising nanomaterial for oral and maxillofacial infection treatment, with enhanced ROS generation and effective biofilm penetration, providing a simple and efficient treatment approach for these infections.