Sprayed low-temperature plasma-infused hydrogel dressing for skin-wound management

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Plasma Medicine
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Chronic wounds like diabetic ulcers pose significant healthcare challenges due to infection, inflammation, and poor circulation.
• Existing wound dressings often fall short in addressing these complex issues.
• Advanced hydrogels face limitations including bacterial susceptibility and biocompatibility concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an innovative sprayable hydrogel dressing for effective chronic wound management.
• To leverage low-temperature plasma (LTP) for enhanced antibacterial and wound-healing properties.

Main Methods:

• A sprayable thermosensitive F127 hydrogel was infused with LTP-generated oxidizing species (Ox), creating the Ox@F127 dressing.
• The efficacy of Ox@F127 was evaluated in various skin-wound models, including infected wounds in mice and diabetic minipigs.
• RNA sequencing was employed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying wound healing promotion.

Main Results:

• The Ox@F127 hydrogel dressing exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against E. coli and MRSA.
• Significant acceleration of wound healing was observed in preclinical models.
• Mechanistic studies revealed that Ox@F127 promotes extracellular matrix remodeling, collagen regeneration, angiogenesis, and epithelialization.

Conclusions:

• The LTP-infused hydrogel dressing presents a simple yet effective strategy for managing chronic wounds.
• This approach demonstrates considerable potential for safe and successful clinical translation.