A snail glycosaminoglycan-derived patch inspired by extracellular matrix accelerates diabetic wound healing via...

Current clinical therapeutic protocols for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) remain inadequate due to their low response to therapeutic drugs and high recurrence rates. The normal healing process of diabetic wounds is frequently disrupted by factors such as microbial infections and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. In this study, we developed a gel patch that can accelerate wound re epithelialization and scavenge ROS and antibacterial. To provide a dependable biological framework for wound tissue regeneration, this patch incorporates two components analogous to the extracellular matrix: snail glycosaminoglycan and gelatin. The multifunctional patch exhibited potent antibacterial activity, eliminating over 99.9 % of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in oxidative stress-induced cells by 80 %. In a diabetic wound infection model, the patch inhibited bacterial colonization, accelerated re-epithelialization by two-fold, and lowered inflammatory markers, highlighting its dual antimicrobial and pro-healing effects. The patch demonstrated a precisely synchronized gradual degradation and controlled drug release profile, which aligned with the spatiotemporal dynamics of wound healing progression. In summary, this innovative approach presented a facile, safe, and highly efficient therapeutic strategy for the management of DFUs.