Shigui Chen (Wuhan University, China), Yang Cheng and Wei Liu (Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China), and colleagues have synthesized two halogen-bonded organic frameworks (XOFs) based on [N···Br+···N] interactions, XOF(Br)-TPPE and XOF(Br)-TPPA. The effects of varying the halonium ion (X+) connection knots and hydrophilicity on the resultant antimicrobial properties have been explored. The application of the XOFs to treat bacterial keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice has been examined. The therapeutic effect of XOFs(Br) is superior to XOFs(I) due to the greater oxidizing capability of Br+. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of hydrophilic TPPA-based XOFs exceeds that of TPPE-based XOFs.
The team further added IR820 as a photosensitizer to XOF(Br)-TPPA, facilitating a combined chemotherapy/PTT for synergistic antibacterial therapy. After the loading of IR820 onto XOF(Br)-TPPA, excellent biocompatibility and photothermal therapeutic performance were retained.
The development of the proposed XOFs(Br) has increased our understanding of halogen-bonded organic frameworks, expanding potential applications. The findings of this study have demonstrated viable utilization as novel biomedical antibacterial materials, providing new opportunities for the realization of highly effective multifunctional antibacterial agents.
- Enhanced Synergistic Photothermal-Chemotherapy in Bacterial Keratitis Treatment using Halogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks (XOFs) Based on N⋯Br+⋯N Bonds
Zhennan Tian, Shirui Zhou, Yao Qu, Qian Yang, Xuguan Bai, Jiahao Zhao, Hongqiang Dong, Ya Lu, Nan Deng, Lu Wang, Limin Pi, Yang Cheng, Shigui Chen*, Wei Liu
Aggregate 2025
https://doi.org/10.1002/agt2.70050
