D-Peptide Engineered Double-Network Hydrogels for Synergistic Infection Control and Tumor Therapy

The concurrence of drug-resistant infections and malignant tumors poses a serious challenge to clinical treatment, demanding multifunctional biomaterials with integrated therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we developed D-peptide engineered double-network (DN) hydrogels by combining a mechanically robust GelMA framework with a bioactive D-peptide (ik3) that exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial and antitumor properties. The DN architecture provides improved toughness and stability under physiological conditions, while the incorporation of the ik3 peptide enhances proteolytic resistance and ensures sustained bioactivity. In vitro experiments demonstrated efficient inhibition of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial growth as well as apoptosis induction in a variety of tumor cell lines. Overall, these findings support D-peptide modified DN hydrogels as a promising multifunctional platform for synergistic infection control and tumor therapy.