Smart antibacterial systems, delivering antimicrobials in a highly controlled manner, are one strategy toward fighting the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Here, we engineer a laser-responsive antimicrobial nanocomposite hydrogel combining a peptide amphiphile and a photothermally active polydopamine nanoparticle (PDNP) to entrap the hydrophobic rifampicin within the hydrophilic hydrogel matrix. We show that the ability of the gelator to interact and retain rifampicin within the gel induced structural changes in its nanofiber network and mechanical properties. Furthermore, PDNP inclusion enabled laser-induced drug release, preventing growth of a Gram-negative E. coli. Overall, our work provides a significant advance in designing smart materials for controlled drug delivery applications.

中文翻译：

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用于激光控制疏水药物递送的肽-聚多巴胺纳米复合水凝胶

以高度可控的方式提供抗菌药物的智能抗菌系统是对抗抗生素耐药病原体上升的一种策略。在这里，我们设计了一种结合肽两亲物和光热活性聚多巴胺纳米颗粒 (PDNP) 的激光响应性抗菌纳米复合水凝胶，以将疏水性利福平包埋在亲水性水凝胶基质中。我们表明，凝胶剂在凝胶中相互作用和保留利福平的能力引起了其纳米纤维网络和机械性能的结构变化。此外，包含 PDNP 能够实现激光诱导的药物释放，从而防止革兰氏阴性大肠杆菌的生长。总体而言，我们的工作在设计用于受控药物输送应用的智能材料方面取得了重大进展。