Double Enzyme Active Hydrogel Program Regulates the Microenvironment of Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Pressure...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Infected pressure ulcers (IUPs) present complex microenvironmental challenges during healing.
• Effective treatment requires tailored interventions to promote tissue regeneration across different healing stages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual enzyme mimetic and bacterial-responsive hydrogel for enhanced IUP healing.
• To create a smart wound dressing with adaptive microenvironment regulation capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite hydrogel using methacrylate-modified silk fibroin (SFMA) and dopamine methacrylamide (DMA).
• Encapsulation of pH-responsive dual enzyme-active nanoplatforms (HNTs-Fe-Ag) within the SFMA-DMA matrix.
• Evaluation of the hydrogel's adaptive microenvironment regulation, antimicrobial activity, and therapeutic effects on IUPs.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel exhibits self-activating antimicrobial activity under acidic conditions (bacterial infection) via •OH generation and photothermal effects.
• Under neutral/alkaline conditions (chronic inflammation), it decomposes hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to oxygen (O2), alleviating hypoxia and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS).
• This adaptive response remodels macrophage phenotypes, promoting wound closure, inflammation regulation, and collagen deposition.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogel provides on-demand therapeutic effects for infected wounds.
• It significantly enhances the regenerative microenvironment of IUPs through self-activated antimicrobial action and adaptive hypoxia relief.
• This approach offers a novel strategy for smart wound dressings in treating complex wounds.