Biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles for the treatment of bacterial infection

Biofilm infectious diseases have become a growing global health issue. The complex biofilm structure makes conventional antibiotic therapy ineffective because of poor biofilm penetration and biofilm antibiotic tolerance. Recently, the progresses in the development of biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles afford a promising strategy for combating biofilm infection. Emerging evidences confirm that biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles have been programmed to increase biofilm penetration and achieve drug targeted delivery, further enhancing the antibiofilm effect of therapeutic agents and minimizing their side effects. In this review, the biofilm formation process and its microenvironmental characteristics are first introduced. On this basis, we outline the design strategies of biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles as well as their working principle. Finally, the challenges and future development directions of biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles are discussed.