NIR-activated nanosystems with self-modulated bacteria targeting for enhanced biofilm eradication and caries prevention

The efficacious delivery of antimicrobial drugs to intractable oral biofilms remains a challenge due to inadequate biofilm penetration and lack of pathogen targeting. Herein, we have developed a microenvironment-activated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-sheddable nanoplatform to mediate targeted delivery of drugs into oral biofilms for the efficient prevention of dental caries. The PEGylated nanoplatform with enhanced biofilm penetration is capable of deshielding the PEG layer under slightly acidic conditions in a PEG chain length-dependent manner to re-expose the bacteria-targeting ligands, thereby facilitating targeted codelivery of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and IR780 to the bacteria after accumulation within biofilms. The nanoplatform tends to induce bacterial agglomeration and suffers from degradation in the acidic oral biofilm microenvironment, triggering rapid drug release on demand around bacterial cells. The self-modulating nanoplatform under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation accordingly displays greatly augmented potency in oral biofilm penetration and disruption compared with drugs alone. Topical oral treatment with nanoplatforms involving synergetic pharmacological and photothermal/photodynamic trinary therapy results in robust biofilm dispersion and efficacious suppression of severe tooth decay in rats. This versatile nanoplatform can promote local accumulation and specific drug transport into biofilms and represents a new paradigm for targeted drug delivery for the management of oral biofilm-associated infections.