One-step therapy strategy: Multifunctional chitosan-based hydrogel enriched with platelet-rich plasma for enhanced...

Infected wounds cannot be effectively resolved by a single-function dressing owing to their multifactorial microenvironment. Herein, we fabricated a platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), quaternized lipoic-acid-modified chitosan hydrogel (QLCP) by dispersing PRP within a ultraviolet-triggered disulfide-crosslinked chitosan network bearing permanent cationic charges. Benefiting from the redox-responsive disulfide bonds and quaternization, the hydrogel not only forms an injectable, conformal, moisture-retaining barrier, but also provides on-demand reactive oxygen species scavenging together with sustained release of PRP-derived growth factors. The QLCP matrix efficiently diminished oxidative stress and nearly eradicated E. coli/S. aureus in vitro, while PRP promoted fibroblast proliferation and migration. In a rat full-thickness infected wound model, QLCP markedly accelerated wound closure, enhanced re-epithelialization, and reduced collagen disorganization. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that this hydrogel platform mitigates infection, depresses inflammation/oxidative injury, and facilitates tissue regeneration through a synergistic combination of physical sealing and exudate management, antibacterial/antioxidative activity, and bioactive factor delivery, highlighting its strong application potential for infected-wound therapy.