New, biocompatible materials with favorable antibacterial activity are highly desirable. In this work, we develop a unique conjugated polymer featuring aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) for reliable bacterial eradication. Thanks to the AIE and donor‐π‐acceptor structure, this polymer shows a high reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐generation ability compared to a low‐mass model compound and the common photosensitizer Chlorin E6. Moreover, the selective binding of pathogenic microorganisms over mammalian cells was found, demonstrating its biocompatibility. The effective growth inhibition of bacteria upon polymer treatment under light irradiation was validated in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the recovery from infection after treatment with our polymer is faster than that with cefalotin. Thus, this polymer holds great promise in fighting against bacteria‐related infections in practical applications.
Phosphindole oxide-based photosensitizers with Type I reactive oxygen species generation ability are developed and used for endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated photodynamic therapy of tumors.
Photothermal
therapy (PTT) holds great promise for noninvasive
cancer treatment. To fulfill this goal, highly effective and low-risk
photothermal agents have been intensively explored. Here, we present
a new PTT material based on conjugated polymer dots (Pdots) that exhibit
strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption and high photostability. The
Pdots result in a thermal response upon illumination with a NIR laser,
leading to a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 65%. Thus,
the photothermal ablation of cancer cells using the Pdots both in vitro and in vivo can be achieved, highlighting
the potential of Pdots as a nanoplatform for clinical therapy. They
also open up a new avenue to develop new photothermal therapeutic
materials.
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