Nanomaterial-Induced Bacterial Ferroptosis-Like Death: A Novel Strategy to Counteract Antimicrobial Resistance

The escalating crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a profound threat to global public health, necessitating the development of alternative antibacterial strategies. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, has recently emerged as a promising strategy for combating drug-resistant bacteria. In this review, we systematically summarize how nanomaterials precisely regulate bacterial iron metabolism through chemical kinetics, photodynamics, sonodynamics, and nanoenzyme catalytic pathways, which promote iron storage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, destroy the antioxidant defense system, and eventually lead to ferroptosis-like lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. In addition, this study focused on the synergistic activation of the host immune response by nanomaterials through the regulation of macrophage polarization and the cytokine network, thereby enhancing bacterial clearance and tissue repair. As an emerging nonantibiotic antimicrobial method, nanomaterial-mediated bacterial ferroptosis provides new insights and approaches to address the challenge of drug-resistant infections.