Thermochromic materials, as representative stimuli-responsive systems, have garnered significant research interest due to their considerable potential across energy-efficient architecture, visual detection technologies, and anti-counterfeiting applications. Polysaccharide-based thermochromic systems have recently emerged as attractive alternatives, owing to their natural bio-derived characteristics, exceptional biocompatibility, sustainability, and remarkable structural tunability. These materials offer substantial advantages over conventional thermochromic counterparts, effectively overcoming prevalent limitations such as high production costs, limited functionalization flexibility, and inadequate environmental compatibility. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in the design and application of polysaccharide-based thermochromic systems. Initially, the review systematically presents classifications of thermochromic materials along with a critical analysis of current research advancements and their chromogenic mechanisms, highlighting current bottlenecks in mainstream systems through comparative evaluations. Subsequently, this work primarily examines the structural compatibility of polysaccharide materials from the perspective of functional allocation, focusing on their dual capacity as intrinsic chromogenic agents and non-chromogenic structural components within thermochromic systems. This dual-functional perspective emphasizes the unique advantages polysaccharides offer, including tailored molecular interactions and hierarchical structural optimization. This work aims to deepen the fundamental understanding of polysaccharide-based thermochromic systems and stimulate innovative ideas for developing eco-friendly and intelligent thermochromic materials.

Excessive immune activation induced by persistent bacterial infection, which further impairs osteogenic function, is a crucial factor contributing to the poor healing of infectious bone defects. Therapeutic strategies targeting a single link often yield limited efficacy. Therefore, we developed an alloy scaffold bone graft (TCMP) with pH-responsive sequential regulation of the immuno-osteogenic axis. During the infection phase, the scaffold mainly releases copper ions to exert potent antibacterial activity, and simultaneously releases Pueraria lobata-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PELNs) in a pH-responsive manner, thereby effectively suppressing the early inflammatory cytokine storm. In the osteogenesis phase, the scaffold switches its release pattern to sustained magnesium ion release, accompanied by low-level sustained release of PELNs, which targets mesenchymal stem cells, vascular endothelial cells and macrophages to promote the directional recruitment and migration of stem cells, accelerate their osteogenic differentiation, improve the inflammatory immune microenvironment and enhance angiogenesis; consistent with the physiological characteristics of extremely scarce osteoclasts in the early stage of implantation, Mg2+ exerts no regulatory effect on osteoclasts in this study. Mechanistically, TCMP mediates dual-pathway synergistic therapy for infectious bone defects by inhibiting the advanced glycation end products/receptor for advanced glycation end products/nuclear factor-κB (AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB) pathway and activating the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway. In conclusion, the developed TCMP alloy scaffold integrates the “trinity” functions of antibacterial activity, anti-inflammation, and osteogenesis, comprehensively breaking the vicious cycle of bacterial infection-excessive inflammatory activation-impaired osteogenic capacity, and providing a therapeutic strategy with excellent translational potential for clinical practice.

Successful long-term bone repair requires implant interfaces to precisely regulate the competitive recruitment between pathogens and host cells. However, coordinating the transition from potent pathogen clearance to refined osteogenic induction remains challenging, as the high-affinity synergies required for rapid bactericidal action often hinder the spatiotemporal signaling necessary for later cell differentiation. Herein, a microenvironment-responsive implant coating (Ti-TF-R) is developed to orchestrate this critical spatiotemporal transition from infection eradication to tissue repair. The platform encapsulates a photothermal metal-phenolic network (TA/Fe) within a biomimetic red blood cell membrane (RBCM) shell. During the acidic infection phase, near-infrared (NIR) irradiation enhances RBCM fluidity, opening "lipid valves" that promote the dissociation and release of the inner TA/Fe layer. TA reduces Fe3+ to Fe2+, triggering a strong Fenton-like reaction in the infectious environment with high H2O2 concentration. This reaction, together with the RBCM-enhanced local photothermal efficiency, induces a bacterial metabolic collapse and ferroptosis. As the infection subsides, the gradually shedding of the RBCM exposes the underlying bioactive TA/Fe layer, which maintains a sustained low-dose iron supply, creating a favorable microenvironment for osteoblast adhesion and differentiation. This spatiotemporally coordinated strategy effectively addresses recalcitrant implant-associated infections while accelerating bone-implant integration, providing a generalizable paradigm for time-programmed therapeutic biomaterials.

Correction for 'A silk fibroin-based hydrogel desensitizer achieving 660 µm dentin tubule occlusion for dentin hypersensitivity treatment' by Kuangdi Xin et al., Mater. Horiz., 2025, 12, 4177-4192, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4MH01927J.

Dental caries, a chronic disease resulting from bacterial demineralization of dental hard tissues, poses a significant global health challenge. Remineralization therapy presents a promising strategy to arrest caries progression and restore tissue integrity. However, simultaneously achieving stable, efficient remineralization and effectively combating plaque biofilm formation remains a critical hurdle. Inspired by the hierarchical “brick-and-mortar” architecture of nacre and the adhesive functionality of mussel foot proteins (Mfps), a novel nanoarchitectonic system was developed via a layer-by-layer biomimetic assembly. This multifunctional system comprises amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) as a mineral ion reservoir, tannic acid (TA) as a bridging and crystallization-regulating layer mimicking the catechol chemistry of Mfps, and hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) as a functional antibacterial outer layer. This bioinspired design yields a stable platform capable of sustained release of calcium and phosphate ions for remineralization while providing long-lasting antibacterial activity against cariogenic biofilms. The system not only forms a durable protective barrier on the enamel surface but also facilitates effective biomimetic remineralization of early carious lesions. This nature-inspired strategy provides a comprehensive and clinically translational approach for hard tissue regeneration and synergistic caries management.

Effective treatment of intracellular bacterial infections remains a global challenge, as host cell barriers limit the accessibility of conventional antibiotics, necessitating innovative drug delivery systems (DDS) to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Current strategies for treating intracellular bacterial pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus, primarily rely on high-dose or long-term antibiotic use. However, the poor intracellular delivery efficiency of antibiotics and the emergence of resistance mechanisms significantly reduce their therapeutic efficacy and may cause adverse drug reactions. While alternative approaches like antimicrobial peptides and phage therapy have been proposed, their clinical utility is often limited by suboptimal stability and high production costs. Consequently, developing precision-targeted delivery platforms to enhance the intracellular accumulation and retention time of antibiotics is a critical approach to minimizing antibiotic dependency while maintaining potent antibacterial activity. These strategies aim to reduce antibiotic use while maintaining equivalent therapeutic efficacy, thereby minimizing the spread of antibiotic resistance. This review focuses on advanced drug delivery systems designed to overcome cellular penetration barriers and restore antibiotic efficacy. It systematically summarizes recent advancements in the field, evaluating the strengths of current delivery strategies, especially nanotechnology and antibiotic conjugation. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential of emerging technologies, including smart delivery platforms, to advance intracellular infection therapy. Furthermore, the review identifies existing challenges and provides future perspectives, outlining the path toward safer and more effective strategies for eradicating intracellular bacterial infections.

ABSTRACT The demand for highly reactive textiles with high water flux is increasing. Large‐pore fabrics inherently face two performance limitations: hydrophilic surfaces are vulnerable to oil intrusion, and rapid water flow shortens hydraulic residence time to suppress pollutant degradation. To enable both high flux and dual‐mode antifouling performance, we developed an interfacial reaction strategy that integrates a well‐assembled iron oxide‐polydopamine composite heterojunction onto a mineral fabric. By tailoring the fabric's normal‐direction Janus wettability, the highly active side exhibits superhydrophilicity while establishing a breakthrough pressure difference of up to 1342 Pa. This design effectively isolates oil‐fouling and achieves unidirectional water transport, confining the aqueous phase within the catalytic layer to create a restricted reaction environment for prolonged contact. Leveraging the synergistic activity of photothermal‐assisted photocatalysis and Fenton‐like reactions, the Janus fabric achieves a degradation kinetic constant k of 0.109 min −1 for aqueous organic pollutants, over tenfold higher than that under dark conditions, fundamentally avoiding activity decay caused by adsorption accumulation and ultimately endowing the Janus fabric with durable dual‐mode antifouling performance. This strategy offers valuable insights for designing advanced composite fabrics with potential application in environment protection, bioengineering, and energy.

In treating infectious bone defects, bacterial eradication alone is insufficient, as impaired blood perfusion characterized by low fluid shear stress (FSS) hampers angiogenesis, thereby compromising osteogenesis and delaying bone repair. Herein, we engineered a low-FSS-activated, pro-angiogenic implant coating with antibacterial properties. This coating comprises a Fe3+-tannic acid (Fe3+-TA) chelation network as the adhesive sublayer, anchoring black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets preloaded with metformin (Met), and is further capped by an outer layer of Lactobacillus animalis-derived extracellular vesicles (BEVs). The Fe3+-TA and BP components synergistically provide photothermal and photodynamic antibacterial activity, while the BEV layer promotes M2 macrophage polarization and modulates the sustained release of Met and phosphate ions from BP degradation, fostering a pro-regenerative microenvironment. Simultaneously, the BP-mediated photodynamic effect exacerbates local oxygen consumption, amplifying the angiogenic potential of Met under hypoxia. The hypoxia-activated Met lowers the FSS threshold required to enable a laminar shear-protective endothelial phenotype, even under pathological low-FSS conditions. This process drives orderly angiogenesis, restores microvascular perfusion, and supports downstream osteogenesis. Overall, this bioinspired coating integrates “hypoxia activation, vascular guidance, and laminar-flow protection” to promote angiogenesis and osteogenesis, and is augmented by synergistic antimicrobial and immunomodulatory benefits, offering a promising strategy for treating infectious bone defects.

The rise of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections presents a critical global health threat, significantly challenging clinical treatment. Copper and copper-based nanomaterials are recognized as effective antimicrobial agents. The discovery of the copper-dependent cell death pathway, known as cuproptosis, enhances our understanding of their antimicrobial effects. In bacteria without mitochondria, similar protein toxicity and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle disruptions make this effect more accurately termed cuproptosis-like death. Advances in nanotechnology have improved the forms and properties of copper-based nanomaterials, offering substantial potential for antibacterial applications through this mechanism. This review begins by exploring the dual role of copper in microbiology and examining the mechanisms of cuproptosis-like death, with a focus on key detection methods. We further discuss the design strategies for developing copper-based nanomaterials, summarizing research progress and applications of representative materials such as copper sulfides, copper oxides, metal–organic frameworks, nanoclusters, metal-polyphenol networks in the antibacterial field. Additionally, we summarize representative cuproptosis-like death-inducing copper-based nanomaterial systems, including photo-responsive systems, ultrasound-activated systems, oxidative stress–amplifying systems, biofunctionalized systems, multi-metal synergistic systems, gas-releasing systems. Finally, we propose future directions for understanding the mechanisms of cuproptosis-like death and optimizing copper-based nanomaterials, aiming to contribute to the development of new methods for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Delayed healing in chronic diabetic wounds is primarily driven by the hyperglycemic microenvironment and persistent bacterial biofilm infection, making biofilm eradication under mild therapeutic conditions highly challenging. Herein, we designed an injectable glucose-responsive cascade catalytic adhesive hydrogel (STU@Au) for mild-temperature photothermal-catalytic synergistic therapy of infected diabetic wounds. This hydrogel integrates gold nanoclusters with glucose oxidase-like activity and photothermal properties into an adhesive matrix (STU) constructed from silk fibroin and tannic acid via urea-regulated hydrogen bonding. Upon injection, the fluidic STU@Au adaptively conforms to wound sites. At the same time, outward diffusion of urea induces hydrogel solidification through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen-bond rearrangement, achieving stable in situ sealing of moist wound surfaces. Within the hyperglycemic microenvironment, gold nanoclusters catalyze the conversion of glucose into hydrogen peroxide. Under near-infrared irradiation, the plasmonic photothermal effect further converts hydrogen peroxide into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals while depleting endogenous glutathione within bacteria, weakening their antioxidant defenses and enabling effective bacterial eradication and biofilm disruption under mild-temperature conditions without obvious thermal damage to surrounding tissues. Through the synergistic integration of glucose consumption, reactive oxygen species generation, bacterial defense attenuation, and mild photothermal enhancement, STU@Au markedly accelerates infected diabetic wound healing, providing a promising therapeutic strategy for chronic wound management.

The growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Material-based interventions targeting the bacterial respiratory chain constitute a paradigm-shifting approach, inducing lethal bioenergetic collapse through the disruption of core energy transduction pathways. This review presents a systematic analysis of how engineered materials interfere with bacterial bioenergetics, categorizing the underlying mechanisms into three distinct modalities: direct interference, indirect suppression, and synergistic multidimensional inhibition. The mechanistic taxonomy informs a rational design framework built on three complementary strategies: compromising the structural and functional integrity of the respiratory chain, inhibiting electron transport, and reprogramming the pericellular microenvironment. The therapeutic potential of these approaches in addressing complex infections is critically assessed, along with several challenges such as pathogen-specific recognition and host microenvironment perturbation. Emerging paradigms such as computational predictive design and biohybrid systems are highlighted as pivotal directions for future development. By integrating materials science with bacterial bioenergetics, this review establishes a coherent pathway toward durable and effective antimicrobial therapies.

Inspired by the thermal hysteresis of honey, we report an atypical temperature-responsive strategy to overcome the strength-switchability trade-off in underwater adhesives. By programming the reversible polymerization-crystallization of the natural small-molecule thioctic acid (TA) using a long-chain alkylated TA derivative as "molecular pollen" and tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) as a stabilizer, we designed a robust yet highly reversible underwater adhesive. Upon mild heating, TA polymerizes into a metastable polyTA complex stabilized by TCEP and plasticized by the molecular pollen, maintaining a supercooled fluid state even below its crystallization temperature to enable thorough underwater wetting. Cooling underwater triggers depolymerization, releasing TA monomers that co-crystallize with the molecular pollen to induce complete solidification with high cohesion. This mild thermal cycling enables wide-range cohesion modulation, yielding robust underwater adhesion (2.21 MPa on steel within 24 h) and high switching efficiency (>99.9 %) within a narrow temperature window (Delta T <= 30 degrees C). With honey-like thermal hysteresis near body temperature, the adhesive provides secure wound sealing and stable catheter fixation (>= 7 d) in vivo, followed by minimal-trauma removal with reduced inflammation under gentle thermal stimulation. This sustainable biomimetic strategy resolves the "switchability conflict" in underwater adhesives, with promising applicability in medical device fixation, wearable electronics, and reversible assembly.

Diabetes-induced osteoarthritis (DOA) is a degenerative disease of bone and joint induced or aggravated by metabolic disorder of diabetes, with significant concealment and disability. Clinical evidence indicates that traditional osteoarthritis therapies are difficult to meet the complex pathological microenvironment of DOA and precise theranostics of deep lesions remains a significant challenge. Herein, we have developed an advanced NIR-immunotheranostic nanosystem (ACBPD) that integrates cyclic brush polymer-based prodrug immunotherapeutics and imaging agents for precise DOA real-time non-invasive diagnosis with multi-pronged DOA treatments. The sustained superlubricity (COF similar to 0.016 for 14,400 cycles) and immunomodulatory properties of ACBPD significantly alleviated joint destruction caused by glucose metabolism disorder (89.5 % reduction in osteophytes). Furthermore, Ultrasound-activated hyperthermia ACBPD with high photothermal conversion efficiency (61.8 %) assisted self-adaptive metformin release, activating the PI3K-Akt and calcium signaling pathways, while inhibiting NF-kappa B inflammatory pathways, thereby regulating T2DM-induced glucotoxicity and oxidative stress to reconstruct DOA osteoimmune microenvironment homeostasis. Notably, the unique photoacoustic and contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging capabilities of ACBPD allow for precise joint depiction and real-time dynamic monitoring of DOA joint oxygen saturation (79 %). Therefore, this work realizes the theranostics of DOA for the first time, offering new avenues for clinical management of deep bone-related diseases.

Real-time overheat warning and post-event recording of high-temperature incidents for electrical equipment are critically important for grid safety. In this work, a multistage thermochromic smart coating (TCMVC) was developed by incorporating thermochromic microcapsules (TCM) and a high-temperature irreversible thermochromic component, ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3), into a silicone rubber matrix. Specifically, the TCM, whose chromogenic core is encapsulated by an in-situ polymerized resin shell, exhibits a reversible blue-to-paleblue thermochromic response in the 25-80 degrees C range, whereas NH4VO3 remains white at low temperatures but undergoes irreversible thermal decomposition to a dark brown species in the 90-180 degrees C high-temperature window. The TCMVC with the superior formula features uniform color development, pronounced hydrophobicity, and readily distinguishable colorimetric responses across temperature regimes. This multistage design provides a cost-effective strategy for visual overheat monitoring and fault traceability in electrical systems.

Pathogenic infections drive microbial dysbiosis and persistent inflammation, posing therapeutic challenges due to difficulties in precise pathogen eradication and microbiome restoration. Although CRISPR-based therapeutics enable pathogen-specific antibacterial targeting, their effectiveness in treating pathogenic infections is constrained by difficulties in navigating complex microbial ecosystems, penetrating pathogenic barriers, sustaining energy-intensive intracellular cleavage, and, critically, restoring microbial balance after pathogen clearance. Here, we engineer a probiotic vesicle-synergized CRISPR platform by encapsulating gtfB-targeting CRISPR plasmids within hybrid extracellular vesicles from probiotics and pathogenic Streptococcus mutans. The pathogen-derived vesicle component enables targeted uptake by S. mutans, facilitating intracellular cleavage of the virulence gene gtfB. Vesicle-carried endogenous adenosine triphosphate (ATP) boosts CRISPR activity, amplifying targeted DNA cleavage for potent and selective pathogen elimination. Probiotic-derived vesicle components further remodel quorum-sensing networks and immunity, restoring microbial homeostasis. This probiotic vesicle-based strategy integrates ATP-enhanced CRISPR cleavage with microbiome and immune modulation, offering a next-generation therapeutic paradigm for microbiome-associated diseases.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual-edged role in infected wounds: they are vital for initial pathogen clearance but exacerbate local oxidative stress and delay healing once the infection is contained. Traditional photodynamic therapy (PDT) fails to meet these dynamic needs because its initial bactericidal ROS generation is severely restricted by wound hypoxia, while it simultaneously lacks the ability to scavenge excess ROS in the later stages to relieve oxidative stress. In this work, we developed a self-oxygenating photodynamic hydrogel (denoted GCT) by co-encapsulating spinach-derived isolated thylakoids and Chlorin e6 (Ce6) within a methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) matrix. Under single-wavelength 660 nm irradiation, the embedded thylakoids serve as a photosynthetic oxygen engine, continuously catalyzing water splitting to generate dissolved oxygen in situ, thereby alleviating hypoxia and maximizing Ce6-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production for enhanced antibacterial PDT. Concurrently, the intrinsic antioxidant thylakoids enable robust ROS scavenging without light irradiation, mitigating oxidative stress in host cells and promoting angiogenesis and tissue repair. This photosynthesis-coupled PDT system enables efficient bacterial eradication and promotes a shift from merely sterilization to whole-process wound healing, representing the first thylakoid-based strategy for effective photodynamic management of infected wounds.

Postoperative abdominal adhesion, coupled with adverse effects, threatens to patient’s life. However, most bioadhesives as anti-tissue adhesion barrier encounter unreliable adhesion towards slippery abdominal wall along with accidental mispositioning during use, even overlook the impact of frictional stimuli and inflammation on abdominal adhesion. Herein, inspired by lubricated peritoneum, a programmable adhesive dual-layer Janus patch (DJP) barrier with unilateral lubrication and anti-inflammation integrating lubricated layer and adhesive matrix is developed to prevent postoperative abdominal adhesion. Programmable adhesion of DJP rapidly establishes adhesion interface between barrier and tissue primarily through noncovalent interaction, then enhances the interfacial stability of 2.81-fold through covalent interaction. This timescale-dependent adhesion can also allow the mispositioned bioadhesive to be repositioned on tissue in short time, improving surgical fault tolerance. Hydration of micron-scale poly sulfobetaine methacrylamide brush on DJP surface imitates peritoneal lubrication with low coefficient of friction (0.06), diminishing frictional stimuli towards injured tissue. Meanwhile, anti-inflammation of DJP by the antioxidative catechol-containing copolymer is demonstrated in vitro. Further, a rat model indicates that DJP adhering to injured site reduces deposited collagen between abdominal wall and cecum, preventing abdominal adhesion and facilitating tissue healing compared with commercial barriers. Overall, this work provides a notable guiding reference in development of antiadhesive biomaterials.

Polyphenol hydrogels have found widespread application in wound healing, bone repair, drug delivery, and biosensors due to their robust wet adhesion, high ductility, and excellent self-healing ability. However, these hydrogels often exhibit low intrinsic cohesion, which limits their overall adhesive strength. Enhancing cohesion is critical for improving both the adhesion and mechanical properties of the hydrogels, thereby expanding their utility in biomedical fields. This review begins by exploring strategies to enhance the cohesion of polyphenol hydrogel adhesives, detailing modifications that act individually or synergistically. The importance of temporally regulating cohesion is emphasized to accommodate various applications and environmental conditions. Finally, this paper discusses remaining challenges in cohesion regulation and outlines prospects for future research. It is hoped that this comprehensive review will provide new insights into the development of advanced polyphenolic hydrogel adhesives and contribute to the design of “smart adhesives” for increasingly complex needs in biomedical applications.