Bone infection site targeting nanoparticle-antibiotics delivery vehicle to enhance treatment efficacy of orthopedic implant related infection

Orthopedic implants account for 99% of orthopedic surgeries, however, orthopedic implant-related infection is one of the most serious complications owing to the potential for limb-threatening sequelae and mortality. Current antibiotic treatments still lack the capacity to target bone infection sites, thereby resulting in unsatisfactory therapeutic effects. Here, the bone infection site targeting efficacy of D6 and UBI29-41 peptides was investigated, and bone-and-bacteria dual-targeted nanoparticles (NPs) with D6 and UBI29-41 peptides were first fabricated to target bone infection site and control the release of vancomycin in bone infection site. The results of this study demonstrated that the bone-and-bacteria dual-targeted mesoporous silica NPs exhibit excellent bone and bacteria targeting efficacy, excellent biocompatibility and effective antibacterial properties in vitro. Furthermore, in a rat model of orthopedic implant-related infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the growth of bacteria was evidently inhibited without cytotoxicity, thus realizing the early treatment of implant-related infection. Hence, the bone-and-bacteria dual-targeted molecule-modified NPs may target bacteria-infected bone sites and act as ideal candidates for the therapy of orthopedic implant-related infections.