pH‐Responsive AIE Photosensitizers for Enhanced Antibacterial Therapy

Bacterial infections significantly alter the local microenvironment, with acidic byproducts from bacterial metabolism leading to a pronounced pH reduction. Leveraging this characteristic, we synthesized and identified DHTPA, a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent and pH-responsive aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer, for enhanced photodynamic therapy against bacterial infections. DHTPA aggregates exhibit a 2.1-fold increase in ROS generation under weakly acidic conditions (pH 5.5) compared to neutral conditions (pH 7.4), attributed to its pH-dependent electronic structure modulation. Upon NIR light irradiation, DHTPA aggregates precisely respond to the acidic microenvironment, significantly boosting…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 82170998
• NR
  National Research Foundation of Korea
• CS
  China Scholarship Council

  Award: 202106270027