Smart Nanofibrous Hydrogel Wound Dressings for Dynamic Infection Diagnosis and Control: Soft but Functionally Rigid.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Wound Care

Background:

• Chronic wounds present significant healthcare challenges, often complicated by bacterial infections.
• Conventional treatments using antibiotic-loaded or metal-impregnated dressings contribute to antimicrobial resistance and adverse effects like skin argyrosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel, antibiotic-free smart hydrogel wound dressings with integrated infection eradication and diagnostic capabilities.
• To utilize electrospinning for creating functional nanofibrous hydrogel materials for advanced wound management.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (GEL) hybrid hydrogel nanofibers via electrospinning.
• Incorporation of dopamine (pDA) as a cross-linker, ε-polylysine (εPL) as an antimicrobial agent, and anthocyanin as a pH-responsive probe.
• In vitro evaluation of antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cellular effects (HaCaT cells).

Main Results:

• Dressings exhibited significant antioxidant activity (>90% radical scavenging) and potent antimicrobial efficacy (95-100% bacterial killing).
• Demonstrated absolute bacterial eradication, enhanced HaCaT cell proliferation, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS), and 100% cell viability.
• Displayed distinct color changes (red/violet at pH 4-6.5, green/blue at pH > 6.5) indicating wound status.

Conclusions:

• The developed antibiotic-free smart hydrogel dressings are effective for chronic wound care, offering simultaneous infection control and diagnostic monitoring.
• These sustainable materials represent a promising advancement in next-generation wound dressings, potentially shifting paradigms in wound management.
• The color-changing capability provides valuable real-time insights for effective wound care and management strategies.