Bacterial infection, biofilm formation, and immune dysfunction are common triggers and aggravators in periodontitis, which render periodontal restoration challenging. Thus, a strategy with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory capacities has great promise in the clinical practice of periodontitis. Herein, carvacrol (CA)-based near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive nano-drug delivery system is developed for the first time. The system consists of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs, which upconvert 808 nm NIR to blue light), mesoporous silica (mSiO₂, the carrier channel), and hydrophobic CA (blue light response properties). Under the irradiation of 808 nm NIR, owing to the synergy of CA and upconverted blue light, the UCNPs@mSiO₂-CA (UCMCs) exhibit the properties of specific anti-bacteria (including anaerobic bacteria), anti-inflammation, and immunomodulation. Notably, high-throughput sequencing results exhibit that many classic inflammatory immune-related signaling pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway, are enriched to remodel the immune microenvironment. Additionally, UCMCs with NIR irradiation accelerate periodontal restoration and serve as promising non-invasive management of periodontitis. Altogether, this study verifies the feasibility of herbal monomer combined with light-responsive in situ nano-drug delivery system and provides a more effective and reliable strategy for various potential applications of deep tissue diseases.

Bacterial keratitis (BK) is a principal factor contributing to corneal ulcers and ocular complications, and has become a significant killer of global vision health. Traditional antibiotic therapy has unsatisfactory therapeutic effect due to short residence time and low utilization rate of drug, and the long-term abuse of antibiotics can easily incur the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria. Furthermore, antibiotics are not effective in addressing the excessive inflammatory response caused by infection. Here, we developed a terbium-doped zinc oxide constructed dual-light-responsive nitric oxide (NO)-releasing nanoparticle (ZT@P@B) and modified it on the surface of contact lenses (CL-ZT@P@B) to boost its bioavailability. In vitro and in vivo experimental results verified that ZT@P@B could simultaneously respond to green light (GL) and 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) without obvious damage to the eyes, releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO, which could effectively kill bacteria (including drug-resistant strains) and reduce inflammatory response. The platform provides a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of BK.

Today, earphones have almost been owned by everyone. However, wearing earphones for a long time can cause two serious problems: (1) irreversible damage to hearing; (2) rapid proliferation of bacteria in the ear canal. Herein, an earphone modification strategy is developed for the first time, to reduce hearing loss and inhibit bacteria simultaneously. This earphone is equipped with a high purity yellow light (YL) light-emitting diode chip developed by our university. Then, the surface of the earphone is loaded with porous zinc oxide and silver nanoparticle composite material (ZnO-Ag) that can respond to the YL. Under the excitation of YL, the porous ZnO-Ag can release reactive oxygen species with strong antibacterial activity. More importantly, we discover that YL can reduce the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3, the secretion of inflammatory factors, and apoptosis in the cochlea, thereby effectively reduce hearing loss.

Effective dental care can reduce the incidence of oral diseases (dental caries, dentin sensitivity, tooth discoloration, etc.). However, delayed or inappropriate usage of care tools not only fails to eliminate external adverse stimuli, but sometimes even causes dental injury. Inspired by the traditional culture of “lacquer teeth”, a sprayable superhydrophobic protectant (ZFP) composed of ZnO, fluorine modified nano-silica (FSNs), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is constructed similar to automobile wax, for routine dental protection. With its superhydrophobic properties, this protective membrane can effectively resist the adhesion of bacteria, proteins, and food residues to the teeth surface. Meanwhile, ZFP exerts stable superhydrophobic self-cleaning properties under external mechanical stimulation, temperature alternation, and acidic environment. In addition, ZnO in ZFP can significantly restrain the growth of dental caries-related bacteria (Streptococcus mutans), with an enhanced anti-bacterial capacity when combined with yellow light irradiation. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that ZFP is a safe, convenient, and quadruplex-effective dental protectant, which is expected to serve as a promising toothpaste companion for joint maintenance of dental health.