A pH and hyaluronidase dual-responsive multilayer-based drug delivery system for resisting bacterial infection

In this work, we developed an antibacterial drug-controlled release multilayer surface based on a layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (QCS). Gentamicin sulfate (GS) is incorporated into the multilayer and hyaluronic acid (HA) is utilized as the topmost layer as a sealing layer. During the bacterial attack, the pH of the microenvironment slightly rises, which makes the multilayer swell and promotes the release of drugs. Meanwhile, the hyaluronidase (HAase) secreted by bacteria triggers the degradation of the HA layer and further accelerates the GS release to fulfill its antibacterial activity. The surface showed high antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli with pH and enzyme dual-responsive drug delivery at an accurate time. The intelligent antibacterial surface presented in this study shows promising potential in application to infection-resistance medical devices.