Novel Supramolecular Hydrogel for Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) pose a significant clinical challenge.
• Developing effective treatments for DFUs requires advanced wound healing strategies.
• Existing treatments often lack multifunctionality and responsiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel supramolecular guanosine-phenylboronic-chlorogenic acid (GBC) hydrogel for DFU treatment.
• To investigate the pH and glucose responsiveness of the GBC hydrogel.
• To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the GBC hydrogel in promoting DFU healing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of GBC hydrogel using dynamic covalent chemistry and guanosine quadruplex assembly.
• Assessment of hydrogel properties including self-healing, injectability, and swelling.
• In vitro and in vivo evaluation of biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, ROS scavenging, macrophage polarization, anti-inflammatory effects, and angiogenesis promotion.

Main Results:

• GBC hydrogels demonstrated pH and glucose responsiveness, releasing chlorogenic acid under specific conditions.
• The hydrogels exhibited excellent self-healing, shear-thinning, and injectability.
• In vitro and in vivo studies confirmed biocompatibility, antibacterial and ROS scavenging properties.
• GBC hydrogels effectively modulated macrophage polarization, reduced inflammation, and promoted angiogenesis.
• Accelerated DFU healing with enhanced tissue remodeling and collagen deposition was observed.

Conclusions:

• The developed GBC hydrogel is a promising multifunctional and responsive material for DFU treatment.
• The hydrogel's properties facilitate wound healing by addressing multiple aspects of the DFU microenvironment.
• This study offers a novel approach for designing advanced hydrogels to expedite diabetic wound healing.