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Peptide-Polydopamine Nanocomposite Hydrogel for a Laser-Controlled Hydrophobic Drug Delivery

2021; American Chemical Society; Volume: 4; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1021/acsabm.1c00699

2576-6422

Natashya Falcone, Nesha May Andoy, Ruby May A. Sullan, Heinz‐Bernhard Kraatz,

Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics

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.