@article{Cheng2026, 
author = {Wenwen Cheng and Wang Wang and Zhijun Zhou and Hang Yin and Ye Yang and Feng Xiao and Wenjie You and Zesheng Chen and Weikang Hu and Xingyuan Xiao and Zijian Wang},
title = {Defect engineering of zinc-based metal organic framework with enhanced ROS generation for antibacterial and wound healing applications},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {19},
number = {5},
pages = {94908545},
keywords = {reactive oxygen species (ROS), wound healing, metal-organic framework (MOF), microneedle, antibacterial, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2026.94908545},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2026.94908545},
abstract = {Bacterial infection in chronic skin defect poses a global healthcare challenge, fueled by antibiotic overuse and bacterial resistance. Zinc-based metal-organic frameworks (Zn-MOFs) with pro-oxidative nanozyme-like activity and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, complemented by their inherent biocompatibility, have emerged as a promising alternative to antibiotics. However, the translational applications of Zn-MOFs are limited by suboptimal enzyme-mimicking catalytic activity, inadequate biodistribution and target site accumulation. To overcome these limitations, this study establishes a strategy of oxygen vacancy (Ov)-based defect engineering combined with microneedle-mediated transdermal delivery. An Ov-rich Zn2+/H2BDC (Ov-ZBC) MOF is first synthesized by two-step reactions, and then immobilized into the tips of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) microneedles to obtain the double-layer GelMA/Ov-ZBC (GOZ) microneedles. Ov-ZBC MOFs demonstrate abundant Ov defects, which consequently led to a superior reactive oxygen species (ROS) production ability. Under visible light irradiation, GOZ microneedles inhibit bacterial survival and proliferation by producing ROS and releasing Zn2+. Additionally, they accelerate the healing of S. aureus-infected wounds through multimodal mechanisms, such as anti-inflammatory, M2 macrophage polarization, and promoting cell proliferation. In conclusion, this study not only develops an antibiotic-free theranostic platform, but also provides a proof-of-concept for modifying Zn-MOFs, thereby paving the way for their advanced biomedical applications.}
}