Fast Gelation of Poly(ionic liquid)-Based Injectable Antibacterial Hydrogels.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Traditional antibacterial hydrogels face challenges with biological toxicity and bacterial resistance, limiting their long-term clinical use.
• Imidazolium poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) offer potent, positively charged antibacterial properties suitable for advanced wound care.
• Developing novel hydrogel formulations with improved safety and efficacy is crucial for effective wound management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel injectable antibacterial hydrogels based on imidazolium PILs.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory potential of the developed hydrogels.
• To explore the suitability of these hydrogels as advanced wound dressings.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two imidazolium PILs, poly(N-butylimidazolium propiolic acid sodium) (PBP) and poly(N-(3,6-dioxaoctane) imidazolium propiolic acid sodium) (PDP), via polycondensation.
• Compounding PILs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) using a thiol-yne click reaction to create injectable hydrogels.
• In vitro assays to assess antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and cytotoxicity against human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
• In vivo anti-inflammatory evaluation using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation model.

Main Results:

• The synthesized injectable hydrogels demonstrated rapid killing of both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
• In vitro studies indicated low toxicity towards human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
• The hydrogels exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation model.

Conclusions:

• Injectable antibacterial hydrogels incorporating imidazolium PILs present a promising alternative to traditional wound dressings.
• These novel hydrogels possess strong antibacterial activity, low cytotoxicity, and beneficial anti-inflammatory properties.
• The findings suggest potential for accelerated wound healing and improved clinical outcomes with these advanced biomaterials.