A new track for antibacterial treatment: Progress and challenges of using cytomembrane-based vesicles to combat bacteria

The emergence and re-emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially superbugs, are leading to complicated infections that are increasingly difficult to treat. Therefore, novel alternative antimicrobial therapies are urgently needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by antibiotic resistance. The development of biomimetic-based therapy is expected to provide innovative means for addressing this challenging task. As a kind of novel biomaterial, cytomembrane-based vesicles (MVs) continue to receive considerable attention in antimicrobial therapy owing to their inherent biocompatibility, design flexibility, and remarkable ability to interact with biological molecules or the surrounding environment. These remarkable cell-like properties and their inherent interaction with pathogens, toxins, and the immune system underlie MVs-based functional protein therapy and targeted delivery to develop advanced therapeutic strategies against bacterial infection. This review provides a fundamental understanding of the characteristics and physiological functions of cytomembrane-based vesicles, focusing on their potential to combat bacterial infections, including detoxification, immune modulation, antibiotics delivery, and physical therapy. In addition, the future possibilities and remaining challenges for clinically implementing MVs in the field of antibacterial treatment are discussed.     

Nanoarchitectonics in combat against bacterial infection using molecular,interfacial, and material tools

Nanoarchitectonics, as a post-nanotechnology concept, is the methodology for constructing functional materials from nano-units, which bridges the gap between nanotechnology and materials science. The research accomplishes advocating nanoarchitectonics has increased dramatically as overviewed in the initial part of this review. Then, as socially impactful subjects, we exemplify nanoarchitectonics research for bacterial infections according to classifications featured with molecular tools, interfaces, and hierarchically structured materials. In particular, this review article discusses namely three kinds of antibacterial strategies: (i) new antimicrobial agents and therapeutic modalities based on nanoarchitectonics present high bactericidal efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; (ii) antimicrobial nanoarchitectonics structures are integrated into the surface of medical devices to detach or kill approaching bacteria; (iii) the nanoarchitectonics hydrogels act as antimicrobial reservoirs to produce sustained-release antimicrobial agents for long-lasting bacterial killing.