Penicillin G amidase-activatable near-infrared imaging guiding PDT of bacterial infections

The antibiotic therapy usually leads to the bacterial resistance, and the traditional photosensitizer was in “always on” state with damage to normal tissue. Fortunately, the activatable near-infrared photosensitizer has a high depth of tissue penetration, and can be specifically released with low side effect. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a penicillin G acylase (PGA) activable photosensitizer (NFh-PGA), which could be activated to produce NFh-OH. NFh-OH can product singlet oxygen (1O2) under near-infrared light 730 nm excitation, and have an excellent antibacterial effect in vitro and in vivo. The probe accelerates the healing of bacterial infection wounds by near-infrared imaging guiding PDT. This work provides a strategy for the integrated design of diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infection.