A Self-Healing Multifunctional Hydrogel System Accelerates Diabetic Wound Healing through Orchestrating...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Diabetic wound healing is complicated by infections, poor blood supply, and oxidative stress.
• Current treatments face challenges in effectively managing the complex wound microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-healing hydrogel with interpenetrating networks for enhanced diabetic wound treatment.
• To incorporate cathelicidin LL-37 into the hydrogel to modulate the wound microenvironment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hydrogel using dynamic bonds (catechol-Fe3+, hydrogen bonding, Schiff base) for self-healing properties.
• Incorporation of cathelicidin LL-37 into the hydrogel matrix for bioactive functions.
• Evaluation of the hydrogel's performance in promoting diabetic wound healing.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel demonstrated excellent autonomous self-healing capabilities.
• The multifunctional hydrogel exhibited significant antibacterial, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and antioxidant activities.
• Effective promotion of diabetic wound healing was observed.

Conclusions:

• The developed self-healing hydrogel offers a promising strategy for diabetic wound management.
• This multifunctional wound dressing addresses key challenges in the diabetic wound microenvironment.
• The study provides an effective and safe approach for clinical diabetic wound treatment.