Work

β-Lactamase-activated antimicrobial dendron via the amine uncaging strategy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: . For instance, once uncaged, the dendron has the capacity to eliminate ≥99.99999% of planktonic cells after 24 h of treatment. Mechanistic studies show that the activated dendron is indeed membrane-active and disrupts the inner and outer membranes of bacteria cells. Notably, the prodrug BLM-Dendron has excellent hemocompatibility (at least 3.6 times higher) and low cytotoxicity (at least twice better) compared to the original molecule with exposed cationic groups. This study importantly demonstrates the benefit of using AUS to bestow cationic amphipathic antimicrobial agents with higher biocompatibility and targeted activation capabilities, as these features are key for translation into clinical settings.

Source: Chemical Science

DOI: 10.1039/d5sc02412a