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Deep Red Light Driven Hydrogen Evolution by Heterojunction Polymer Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing
Feixue Mi1, Zhao Liu2, Xinyu Wang1
1Optical Molecule and Skin Imaging Joint Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 6, 2024
Summary
Novel polymer dots (Pdots) generate hydrogen peroxide to heal diabetic skin wounds. Encapsulated in liposomes, these nanoreactors effectively scavenge harmful radicals, accelerating wound closure in mice.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photocatalysis
Background:
- Diabetic skin wounds present a significant clinical challenge due to impaired healing.
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS), particularly hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH), exacerbate inflammation and hinder wound repair.
- Developing effective antioxidant and pro-healing therapeutic strategies is crucial for diabetic wound management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel heterojunction polymer dots (Pdots) for deep-red light-catalyzed hydrogen generation.
- To create liposome-encapsulated Pdots (Lipo-Pdots) as nanoreactors for selective ⋅OH radical scavenging.
- To evaluate the efficacy of Lipo-Pdots in promoting diabetic skin wound healing in a mouse model.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of small heterojunction polymer dots (Pdots) with donor/acceptor components.
- Encapsulation of Pdots and ascorbic acid into liposomes to form Lipo-Pdots nanoreactors.
- In vitro and in vivo assessment of ⋅OH radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant properties.
- Evaluation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and skin wound healing in diabetic mice under 650 nm light irradiation.
Main Results:
- Heterojunction Pdots exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to single-component nanoparticles.
- Lipo-Pdots demonstrated approximately 10-fold higher antioxidant capacity than previously reported single-component Pdots.
- Under 650 nm light, Lipo-Pdots effectively scavenged ⋅OH radicals and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in skin tissues.
- Accelerated healing of diabetic skin wounds was observed in mice treated with Lipo-Pdots.
Conclusions:
- Heterojunction Pdots offer a promising platform for enhanced photocatalytic activity.
- Lipo-Pdots function as efficient nanoreactors for ROS scavenging, mitigating oxidative stress in diabetic wounds.
- This approach provides a safe and effective therapeutic strategy for treating diabetic foot ulcers.
