Enhanced Xanthium-Inspired ZnO for Precision Antibacterial Therapy and Regeneration of Infected Wounds

Bacterial infections significantly hinder wound healing. Despite the widespread use of antibiotics, their limited efficacy and the growing issue of drug resistance necessitate the development of new antibacterial agents with enhanced therapeutic effects and wound healing properties. We developed DNA-templated nano zinc oxide (ZnO) as an effective antibacterial wound treatment. Through systematic studies, we found both DNA nucleobases and phosphate backbone contribute to ZnO formation and stabilization. Using C20 DNA (20-base oligonucleotide) as the optimal stabilizer, we created uniformly sized ZnO nanoparticles. Subsequent interfacial modification with 15% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) yielded H-ZnO with enhanced colloidal stability, photocatalytic activity, and bacterial adhesion. These modifications significantly increased the antibacterial properties of H-ZnO compared to ZnO, while also regulating Zn²⁺ release. The sustained release of Zn²⁺ not only enhanced the biosafety of the nanoparticles but also promoted wound healing. As a result, H-ZnO effectively promoted wound healing with reduced fibrotic response of both ordinary and bacterial-infected wounds without noticeable toxicity. The H-ZnO gel formulation demonstrated superior antibacterial activity and wound healing promotion, making it a promising candidate for clinical application in treating infected wounds.