A Self-Adaptive Periodontal Ecosystem Engineered With Molybdenum-Based Nanozyme-Embedded Composite Hydrogel for...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Periodontitis is a global pandemic caused by bacterial biofilms, leading to tissue destruction.
• Current therapies for periodontitis suffer from diagnostic limitations, incomplete biofilm removal, and poor tissue regeneration.
• There is a need for advanced theranostic systems for comprehensive periodontitis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an injectable, theranostic hydrogel for intelligent, closed-loop periodontitis management.
• To integrate diagnosis, monitoring, biofilm eradication, and tissue regeneration capabilities into a single system.
• To create a precise, light-controlled therapeutic approach for periodontitis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an injectable Ce6@PEG-MoO_x-loaded hydrogel.
• Utilizing MMP-responsive release for on-demand therapeutic delivery.
• Employing photoacoustic imaging for noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of periodontal pockets.
• Leveraging MoO_x nanozyme for ROS mitigation, O₂ generation, and biofilm eradication.
• Investigating the hydrogel's effects on cellular oxidative stress, macrophage polarization, and osteogenesis.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel demonstrated MMP-responsive drug release and accurate periodontal pocket depth measurement via photoacoustic imaging.
• The integrated system effectively eradicated biofilms and mitigated oxidative stress without off-target damage.
• The hydrogel promoted angiogenesis, M2 macrophage polarization, and osteogenesis, stimulating periodontal tissue regeneration.
• The system achieved a closed-loop precision therapy for periodontitis with significant clinical potential.

Conclusions:

• The developed theranostic hydrogel offers a self-adaptive, closed-loop system for comprehensive periodontitis management.
• This approach integrates advanced diagnostics with targeted therapy and tissue regeneration.
• The system shows significant promise for improving clinical outcomes in periodontitis treatment.