TB Research

Mycobacterial Lipid-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Enable "Trojan Horse" Delivery of Isoniazid for Enhanced Intracellular Mycobactericidal Activity.

Haonan Wu, Xueyu Pu, Xi Wang, Guiquan Liu, Tangjun Ren, Jian Yang

ACS applied materials & interfaces · 2025-11

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by(), a paradigmatic intracellular pathogen that is adept at evading host defenses and establishing persistence within macrophages, poses a significant public health threat. Herein, we developed a novel nanoplatform (INH@LMSN) using lipids from(), a nonpathogenic substitute for, to coat mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for isoniazid (INH) delivery. This platform targets macrophages, releases INH in a pH-dependent manner, and enhances antibacterial activityby damaging bacterial membranes and generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). INH@LMSN also polarizes macrophages to the M1 phenotype, aiding in the intracellularclearance. In a mouse model ofinfection, INH@LMSN reduced bacterial burden and alleviated pulmonary inflammation, demonstrating a dual-action strategy combining immune modulation with targeted antituberculosis drug delivery. This study provides a novel dual-action "Trojan Horse" strategy that combines pathogen lipid-mediated immune response modulation with targeted antituberculosis drug delivery, offering a promising approach to enhance intracellular mycobacterial killing and advance TB therapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Isoniazid
  • Animals
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles
  • Mycobacterium smegmatis
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Lipids
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Macrophages
  • Porosity
  • Humans
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Drug Carriers
  • Tuberculosis
  • Reactive Oxygen Species