# Panoramic description of ROS-based nanotechnology for osteomyelitis therapy: Challenges, opportunities, and prospects

**Authors:** Wenqiao Wang, Xiaoying Kong, Jinsheng Shi, Ting Wang

PMC · DOI: 10.7150/thno.124716 · Theranostics · 2026-02-11

## TL;DR

This review explores how ROS-based nanotechnology could offer new ways to treat osteomyelitis, a challenging bone infection, by overcoming antibiotic resistance and improving treatment outcomes.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of ROS-based nanotechnologies for osteomyelitis therapy, highlighting their advantages and limitations.

## Key findings

- ROS-based strategies like PDT, SDT, CDT, and MWDT show potential in overcoming antibiotic resistance.
- These technologies can promote tissue repair and immune regulation in osteomyelitis treatment.
- The review identifies opportunities for integrating ROS-based strategies with existing therapies.

## Abstract

Osteomyelitis, an inflammatory disease of bone and bone marrow caused by infectious microorganisms, has long been a major clinical challenge due to the lack of consistently effective treatment strategies. Conventional therapeutic approaches, such as antibiotic therapy and surgical debridement, are frequently associated with the development of antibiotic resistance and a high risk of disease recurrence, thereby complicating long-term clinical management. In recent years, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based nanotechnology has emerged as a promising therapeutic modality for osteomyelitis, garnering considerable attention for the potential to overcome antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes the epidemiological characteristics, current treatment approaches, and pathogenic mechanisms of osteomyelitis, and comprehensively examines advances in ROS nanotechnologies for osteomyelitis treatment. In addition, the technical advantages and limitations of major ROS-based strategies, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), and microwave dynamic therapy (MWDT), are systematically discussed to provide guidance for further optimization of ROS-mediated strategies. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of these strategies in antimicrobial activity, promotion of tissue repair, and immune regulation is analyzed, offering theoretical support for the integration of ROS-based strategies with existing treatment modalities for improved management of osteomyelitis.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** osteomyelitis (MONDO:0005246)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** phosphotransferase [NCBI Gene 28380657], IL4 (interleukin 4) [NCBI Gene 3565] {aka BCGF-1, BCGF1, BSF-1, BSF1, IL-4}, TRBV20OR9-2 (T cell receptor beta variable 20/OR9-2 (non-functional)) [NCBI Gene 6962] {aka CDR3, TCRBV20S2, TCRBV2O, TCRBV2S2O}, glycosyltransferase [NCBI Gene 28379000], IL2 (interleukin 2) [NCBI Gene 3558] {aka IL-2, TCGF, lymphokine}, superoxide dismutase [NCBI Gene 28380859], lipase [NCBI Gene 17374477], Coagulase [NCBI Gene 28379458], NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, alkaline phosphatase [NCBI Gene 28379728], clumping factor B [NCBI Gene 28379725], JUNB (JunB proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit) [NCBI Gene 3726] {aka AP-1}, thioredoxin [NCBI Gene 28380422], alpha-hemolysin [NCBI Gene 28381283], peroxidase [NCBI Gene 28379326], penicillin-binding protein [NCBI Gene 28381262], MAPK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5594] {aka ERK, ERK-2, ERK2, ERT1, MAPK2, NS13}, FASLG (Fas ligand) [NCBI Gene 356] {aka ALPS1B, APT1LG1, APTL, CD178, CD95-L, CD95L}, clumping factor A [NCBI Gene 28381647]
- **Diseases:** tissue injury (MESH:D017695), periprosthetic joint infection (MESH:D057068), MRSA (MESH:D013203), chronic (MESH:D002908), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), bone tissue injury (MESH:D018213), infectious (MESH:D003141), neurological disorders (MESH:D009461), immune dysregulation (OMIM:614878), toxic shock syndrome (MESH:D012772), metabolic disorders (MESH:D008659), destruction (MESH:D008105), acute osteomyelitis (MESH:D000208), hyperthermia (MESH:D005334), necrosis (MESH:D009336), peripheral neuropathy (MESH:D010523), Chronic osteomyelitis (MESH:D010019), osteoblast dysfunction (MESH:D006331), orthopedic infections (MESH:D009140), bacterial (MESH:D001424), autoimmune (MESH:D001327), phototoxicity (MESH:D017484), SACs (MESH:D011023), microbial infections (MESH:D015163), hypoxic (MESH:D002534), bone (MESH:D001847), vascular insufficiency (MESH:D065666), OLCN (MESH:D007691), cytotoxic (MESH:D064420), CDT (MESH:D016609), Infection (MESH:D007239), multi-organ toxicity (MESH:D019965), bone necrosis (MESH:D010020), diabetes (MESH:D003920), bone marrow (MESH:D001855), Immune (MESH:D007154), cancer (MESH:D009369), calcification (MESH:D002114), hyperglycemic (MESH:D006944), Fracture (MESH:D050723), carcinogenicity (MESH:D011230), multidrug resistance (MESH:D018088), fungal, viral, and parasitic diseases (MESH:D014777), mitochondrial dysfunction (MESH:D028361), lung infections (MESH:D012141), injuries (MESH:D014947), diabetic foot (MESH:D017719), hypothermia (MESH:D007035), abscess (MESH:D000038), inflammation (MESH:D007249), Gram (MESH:D016908), peripheral vascular disease (MESH:D016491), EBV (MESH:D020031), neuroarthritic osteoarthropathy (MESH:D010004), MOF (MESH:D013651)
- **Chemicals:** glucose (MESH:D005947), xanthine (MESH:D019820), Methicillin (MESH:D008712), Mn (MESH:D008345), hypothiocyanous acid (MESH:C517667), BaTiO3 (MESH:C024547), CaO2 (MESH:C403632), TBO (MESH:D014048), chloramphenicol (MESH:D002701), bisphosphonate (MESH:D004164), magnesium (MESH:D008274), nitric oxide (MESH:D009569), guanidin (MESH:D019791), hydroxyl radical (MESH:D017665), cerium (MESH:D002563), HOBr (MESH:C027664), calcium (MESH:D002118), phenothiazine (MESH:C031637), ROS (MESH:D017382), oxide (MESH:D010087), PLGA (MESH:D000077182), Fe2O3 (MESH:C000499), beta-lactam (MESH:D047090), Ga (MESH:D005708), Ag (MESH:D012834), Pb (MESH:D007854), Rhein (MESH:C020491), polydopamine (MESH:C568283), gentamicin (MESH:D005839), Cu+ (MESH:D003300), H+ (MESH:D006859), LPS (MESH:D008070), PLLA (MESH:C033616), vancomycin (MESH:D014640), lipid (MESH:D008055), ALN (MESH:D019386), FeS (MESH:D007501), Ag2S (MESH:C013251), plumbagin (MESH:C014758), OH (MESH:C031356), 5-ALA (MESH:C000614854), phthalocyanines (MESH:C013647), MoO2 (MESH:C539565), PGE2 (MESH:D015232), tetracyclines (MESH:D013754), Fe3S4 (MESH:C111959), amide (MESH:D000577), TNTs (MESH:D014303), MnO2 (MESH:C016552), ZnO (MESH:D015034), phospholipid (MESH:D010743), ATP (MESH:D000255), H2O (MESH:D014867), hematoporphyrin (MESH:D006415), GSH (MESH:D005978), CO2 (MESH:D002245), TiO2 (MESH:C009495), methylene blue (MESH:D008751), PMMA (MESH:D019904), CeO2 (MESH:C030583)
- **Species:** Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit, species) [taxon 9986], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Staphylococcus aureus (species) [taxon 1280], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Mycobacterium tuberculosis (species) [taxon 1773], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Escherichia coli (E. coli, species) [taxon 562]
- **Cell lines:** HN25 — Homo sapiens (Human), Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_1283)

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

261 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12964132/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12964132