Solvent-mediated synthesis of 2D In-TCPP MOF nanosheets for enhanced photodynamic antibacterial therapy

Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy in recent years. In comparison to bulk MOFs, constructing 2D MOFs can increase the presence of active sites through increasing the surface area ratio. Herein, we report a simple solvent-mediated synthesis method for preparation of 2D porphyrin-based MOF (In-TCPP) nanosheets without the addition of any surfactants as an efficient photosensitizer for enhancing photodynamic antibacterial therapy. The accurate regulation of the morphology and size of 2D In-TCPP nanosheets can be achieved by varying the ratio of water to N,N-dimethylformamide solvent with the appropriate assistance of pyridine. The optimal synthesized 2D In-TCPP nanosheets exhibit a diameter of 70–120 nm and a thickness of 21.5–27.4 nm. Promisingly, 2D In-TCPP nanosheets produce a higher amount of ¹O₂ when exposed to 660 nm laser compared to the In-TCPP bulk, indicating that the smaller nanosheets possess more active sites for reactive oxygen species generation and can greatly improve the antibacterial photodynamic therapeutic effect. Both the in vitro and in vivo results prove that the In-TCPP nanosheets can be used as a photosensitizer for efficient photodynamic antibacterial therapy to kill S. aureus and promote wound healing. © 2025 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.