Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: : Bacterial infections, often originating in localized sites such as wounds, are commonly treated with antibiotics. However, the widespread misuse and overuse of these drugs have led to the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), severely compromising the efficacy of antibiotics. In this context, photodynamic therapy (PDT), together with the resulting light-induced chemical sensitization of the microenvironment — a phenomenon known as photodynamic priming (PDP) — has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome bacterial resistance mechanisms. Upon light activation in the presence of a photosensitizer, PDT induces multiple disruptive effects in resistant bacteria, including enhanced membrane permeability, efflux pump inhibition, and inactivation of drug-modifying enzymes, thereby restoring antibiotic susceptibility. PDT can synergize with antibiotics by enhancing antimicrobial efficacy. However, in most cases, these treatments are delivered sequentially. Effective implementation of this approach requires the simultaneous delivery of both antibiotics and photosensitizers at optimized ratios directly to the site of infection, a challenge for free drugs due to their disparate pharmacokinetic profiles. Here, we introduce photoactivatable liposomes for antibiotic delivery (PLA), a light-responsive nanoplatform that co-encapsulates the antibiotic minocycline and the photosensitizer benzoporphyrin derivative to enable intracellular co-delivery at synergistic ratios. We demonstrate the versatility of the PLA synthesis, its physicochemical stability, and its enhanced phototoxic performance against antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,810
OpenAlex ID: W7169014357