Arg-PCN/PLA Nanocomposite Membranes with Enhanced Antibacterial Efficacy via Red Light-Triggered PDAT/NO Synergism

The misuse of antibiotics has resulted in multidrug resistance among bacteria, rendering nearly all conventional antibiotics ineffective and creating a pressing global need for highly efficient and broad-spectrum antibacterial alternatives. Photodynamic antibacterial therapy (PDAT) has emerged as a promising strategy to address bacterial resistance; however, its efficacy is limited by inherent challenges such as poor tissue penetration, short diffusion ranges, and brief half-lives of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we developed an antibacterial composite nanofiber membrane with red light responsiveness by incorporating functional l -arginine-modified PCN-224 nanoparticles (Arg-PCN NPs), which enabled NO-enhanced synergistic PDAT. Specifically, Arg-PCN NPs were synthesized and subsequently embedded into a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix by electrospinning, yielding a porous nanocomposite membrane (APM). Under irradiation, APM showed a strong synergistic antibacterial effect, and the bactericidal rate against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) reached 99.9%. Comprehensive mechanistic studies revealed that APM potently enhanced bacterial membrane permeability and elevated intracellular ROS levels upon irradiation. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assays confirmed that APM exhibited negligible in vitro cytotoxicity. The red light-activated antibacterial membrane developed in this work holds significant potential for wound care applications and provides a design strategy for advanced antibacterial materials capable of combating drug-resistant bacterial infections.