Phase‐Transition‐Induced Deformable OMV‐Camouflaged Nanoparticles Enabling Deep Biofilm Penetration for Photothermal–Photodynamic Eradication of Bacterial Pneumonia

Bacterial pneumonia remains refractory to conventional therapies due to the dense extracellular polymeric substance matrix of biofilms that severely restricts drug penetration. Here, we report a biomimetic, thermo-responsive nanoplatform (AIE/PCM@OMV) featuring phase-transition-induced deformability to overcome biofilm barriers and treat bacterial pneumonia. The nanoparticles comprise a phase-change material (PCM) core encapsulating an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phototherapeutic agent and are camouflaged with bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The OMV coating enables homologous targeting and preferential accumulation within biofilms derived from the parental strain. Upon 660 nm laser irradiation, the AIE agent simultaneously generates localized heat and reactive oxygen species, inducing synergistic photothermal-photodynamic bacterial ablation while triggering a solid-to-liquid transition of the PCM core. This phase transition confers dynamic deformability, allowing adaptive structural transformation and deep penetration into biofilms. AIE/PCM@OMV achieves 99.9% eradication of wild-type Escherichia coli biofilms in vitro and reduces pulmonary bacterial burden by 99% in a murine pneumonia model, alleviating lung edema and restoring alveolar architecture. Mechanistically, the therapy reprograms the immune microenvironment by suppressing excessive inflammatory signaling and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. This work establishes a phase-transition-driven deformable biomimetic nanostrategy that integrates homologous targeting, adaptive penetration, and synergistic photothermal-photodynamic therapy for effective treatment of biofilm-associated bacterial pneumonia.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Healthcare Materials
Published
2026-09-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.71709
Primary Topic
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

Phase‐Transition‐Induced Deformable OMV‐Camouflaged Nanoparticles Enabling Deep Biofilm Penetration for Photothermal–Photodynamic Eradication of Bacterial Pneumonia

Chunlei Zhu, Minghui Xiao, Shuyi Lv, Jingyi Zhang et al.
Advanced Healthcare Materials
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
article

Phase‐Transition‐Induced Deformable OMV‐Camouflaged Nanoparticles Enabling Deep Biofilm Penetration for Photothermal–Photodynamic Eradication of Bacterial Pneumonia

Chunlei Zhu, Minghui Xiao, Shuyi Lv, Jingyi Zhang, Hualong Li, Qinyang Zheng, Zhencheng Sun, Liang Tian, Bo Liu
article en

Abstract

Bacterial pneumonia remains refractory to conventional therapies due to the dense extracellular polymeric substance matrix of biofilms that severely restricts drug penetration. Here, we report a biomimetic, thermo-responsive nanoplatform (AIE/PCM@OMV) featuring phase-transition-induced deformability to overcome biofilm barriers and treat bacterial pneumonia. The nanoparticles comprise a phase-change material (PCM) core encapsulating an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phototherapeutic agent and are camouflaged with bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The OMV coating enables homologous targeting and preferential accumulation within biofilms derived from the parental strain. Upon 660 nm laser irradiation, the AIE agent simultaneously generates localized heat and reactive oxygen species, inducing synergistic photothermal-photodynamic bacterial ablation while triggering a solid-to-liquid transition of the PCM core. This phase transition confers dynamic deformability, allowing adaptive structural transformation and deep penetration into biofilms. AIE/PCM@OMV achieves 99.9% eradication of wild-type Escherichia coli biofilms in vitro and reduces pulmonary bacterial burden by 99% in a murine pneumonia model, alleviating lung edema and restoring alveolar architecture. Mechanistically, the therapy reprograms the immune microenvironment by suppressing excessive inflammatory signaling and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. This work establishes a phase-transition-driven deformable biomimetic nanostrategy that integrates homologous targeting, adaptive penetration, and synergistic photothermal-photodynamic therapy for effective treatment of biofilm-associated bacterial pneumonia.

Advanced Healthcare Materials
Nankai University (CN), Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (CN), State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.