Liposome nanoparticles with photothermal effect - for the treatment of bacterial infectious periodontitis

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

A novel therapeutic strategy addresses the limits of mechanical and pharmacological periodontal treatments, which struggle to eradicate plaque biofilms and can trigger bacterial resistance. Near-Infrared-II (NIR-II) guided photothermal therapy enables heat-driven bacterial killing while avoiding drug-resistance pathways. Liposome-encapsulated AIE fluorophore 2TT-oC6B (2TT-oC6B@LIP) was irradiated at 808 nm, causing membrane damage, cytoplasmic leakage, and strong anti-biofilm activity against major periodontal pathogens. In Sprague-Dawley rat models, 2TT-oC6B@LIP significantly mitigated periodontitis progression under 1 W cm−2 NIR exposure, showing effective photothermal bactericidal activity and good biocompatibility.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background and rationale for photothermal therapy

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and 2TT-oC6B

Liposome-based delivery system

RSC Advances PAPER Liposome nanoparticles with photothermal eﬀect for the treatment of bacterial infectious Cite this: RSC Adv., 2026, 16, 394 Received 27th October 2025 Accepted 9th December 2025 DOI: 10.1039/d5ra08225k [rsc.li/rsc-advances](rsc.li/rsc-advances) periodontitis Juan Zhang,†*ab Qing Yang,†ab Cailing Zhao, ab Shisheng Cao,c Meng Xia,ab Xingtong Muab and Huijuan Yin*c A novel strategy is imperative to address the limitations of conventional mechanical and pharmacological periodontal treatments, which are constrained by the inherent diﬃculty in completely eradicating plaque bioﬁlm and the tendency for bacterial resistance to develop. Photothermal therapy (PTT) emerges as an innovative therapeutic approach for managing periodontitis, oﬀering the distinct advantage of circumventing drug resistance. Furthermore, Near-Infrared-II (NIR-II) guided PTT enhances therapeutic eﬃcacy and provides a viable method for eliminating bacteria in deep periodontal pockets. In this study, we encapsulated 2TT-oC6B, a ﬂuorophore with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, into liposomes to make AIE nanoparticles (2TT-oC6B@LIP), thereby improving their water dispersibility and enabling their use as photothermal agents for treating periodontitis. Upon exposure to 808 nm NIR irradiation, 2TT-oC6B@LIP eﬀectively eradicated a broad spectrum of periodontal pathogens, including both Gram-positive Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii) and Gram-negative Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) . Post-PTT treatment with 2TT-oC6B@LIP resulted in signiﬁcant damage to bacterial cell membranes, cytoplasmic leakage, and potent anti-bioﬁlm activity against periodontal pathogens. Additionally, an experimental periodontitis model was established in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and the application of 2TT-oC6B@LIP signiﬁcantly mitigated the progression of periodontitis under NIR light irradiation at an intensity of 1 W cm−2 . 2TT-oC6B@LIP nanoparticles exhibit remarkable photothermal bactericidal eﬃcacy and good biocompatibility, oﬀering promising potential for periodontitis therapy. 1. Introduction Periodontitis represents a signi􀀁cant global public health challenge, with a prevalence reaching up to 50% and an escalating incidence.1,2 This chronic in􀀃ammatory disease, primarily caused by bacterial infection, can lead to chronic pain, destruction of periodontal supportive tissues, and tooth loss if le􀀁 untreated or inadequately managed.3–5 The key etiological agents of periodontitis include S. gordonii and P. gingivalis.6–8 Current treatment modalities can partially reduce the microbial load in periodontal tissues.9,10 However, the periodontium's complex anatomy hinders mechanical treatments from fully eradicating deep-seated bacteria, while prolonged medication use risks adverse eﬀects and bacterial aDepartment of Prosthodontics, Tianjin Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology & Tianjin Key Laboratory of Oral So􀀁 and Hard Tissues Restoration and Regeneration, No. 12 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, PR China. E-mail: [kqzhangjuan@126.com](kqzhangjuan@126.com) bTianjin Medical University Institute of Stomatology, No. 12 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, PR China. E-mail: [kqzhangjuan@126.com](kqzhangjuan@126.com) cChinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin, 300192, [PR China. E-mail: yinhj@bme.pumc.edu.cn](PR China. E-mail: yinhj@bme.pumc.edu.cn) † These authors contributed equally to this work. resistance.11,12 Thus, there is an urgent need for more eﬀective strategies to combat periodontal infections, remove bio􀀁lms, and prevent bacterial resistance. Near-infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy (PTT) is a new strategy to combat bacterial infections. PTT uses photothermal agents (PTAs) to convert light into heat, targeting speci􀀁c areas. This process ruptures bacterial membranes, leaks cytoplasmic compo

FAQs

Why are conventional periodontal treatments limited?

Mechanical treatments cannot fully eliminate deep-seated bacteria due to complex periodontal anatomy, and prolonged drug use can lead to adverse effects and encourage bacterial resistance.

How does NIR-II guided photothermal therapy help treat periodontitis?

Photothermal agents convert light into heat, disrupting bacterial membranes, causing cytoplasmic leakage, denaturing proteins, and effectively removing biofilms while helping bypass drug resistance.

What effects did 2TT-oC6B@LIP have after 808 nm irradiation?

It efficiently eradicated periodontal pathogens and damaged bacterial cell membranes, leading to cytoplasmic leakage, with potent anti-biofilm activity. In a rat periodontitis model, it also significantly reduced disease progression under NIR light exposure.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy