Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Murine Model of Wound Healing
05:39

Murine Model of Wound Healing

Published on: May 28, 2013

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Bacteriophage and Nitric Oxide Combined Release from a Dual Hydrogel Matrix for Wound Healing Applications

Sarah N Wilson1, Adam B Goodman1, Aasma Sapkota1

  • 1School of Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Macromolecular Bioscience
|January 31, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study combines bacteriophages (ECΦ) and nitric oxide (NO) in a hydrogel for wound healing. The novel material shows enhanced bacterial killing and tunable delivery, offering a promising new antimicrobial therapeutic.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Microbiology
  • Drug Delivery

Background:

  • Opportunistic pathogens in wounds can develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
  • Existing treatments for resistant wound infections are limited, necessitating novel therapeutics.
  • Combining bacteriophages (ECΦ) and nitric oxide (NO) offers a potential broad-spectrum antibacterial strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and evaluate a novel antimicrobial material combining bacteriophages (ECΦ) and nitric oxide (NO) for wound healing.
  • To investigate the controlled release of bacteriophages from an alginate hydrogel matrix.
  • To assess the antibacterial efficacy and cytotoxicity of the combined ECΦ and NO-releasing hydrogel.

Main Methods:

  • Bacteriophages (ECΦ) were encapsulated in alginate microbeads.
  • The microbeads were suspended in a nitric oxide (NO)-releasing thermoresponsive hydrogel.
  • Phage release kinetics, antibacterial activity, and cytotoxicity were evaluated.

Main Results:

  • A delayed release of bacteriophages from the alginate beads within the hydrogel was observed, enabling tunable delivery.
  • The ECΦ and NO-releasing hydrogel demonstrated significantly larger zones of bacterial killing (5-10 times) compared to controls.
  • The developed material exhibited low cytotoxicity, indicating good biocompatibility.

Conclusions:

  • The combination of bacteriophages and nitric oxide in a tunable hydrogel matrix presents a promising approach for combating antimicrobial resistance in wound infections.
  • Alginate microbeads facilitate controlled phage delivery, enhancing the material's therapeutic potential.
  • This novel biomaterial warrants further development for clinical applications in wound healing and infection control.
Keywords:
bacteriophageshydrogelmicrobeadnitric oxide

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