Abstract
Subcutaneous abscesses are focal bacterial infections that are often accompanied with the acidified microenvironment (pH 6-6.6). Two common applied therapies for the abscess management are incision-drainage and systemic administration of antibiotics. However, incision-drainage is a laborious and painful process for patients. Additionally, systemic antibiotic treatment is often accompanied by the evolution of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Therefore, it is an unmet need to develop a reliable antibacterial system to deal with the infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The present study reports a system of glycol chitosan-modified, indocyanine green-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (GIP-NPs). According to the physicochemical analysis, this system demonstrates good results in photothermal effect, biocompatibility, pH-response and shelf life. Upon encountering of the acidic environment, GIP-NPs undergo a surface-charge conversion and induce the bacteria-specific aggregation without absorption to the surrounding normal cells. After near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, GIP-NPs can generate local hyperthermia and cause irreversible damage to bacteria. It also shows higher antibacterial effect compared with simply increasing bulk temperature. These experimental results reveal the strong potential of GIP-NPs for the antibacterial therapy in the next generation.