Core-Satellite Structured Copper-Based Nanomedicine for Orchestrating Accelerated Wound Healing with Potent...

Bacterial infections at wound sites impede healing and pose a serious threat to human health. Conventional antibiotic therapies, however, tend to trigger resistance. Consequently, copper (Cu)-based materials have recently emerged as highly promising alternatives that synergistically kill bacteria and thereby accelerate wound healing. Herein, we developed a core-satellite nanomedicine (PZH) composed of a degradable Cu-doped phosphate-based glass (PBG) core and multiple ZIF-8/hyaluronic acid (HA) satellites. PZH shows pH-triggered behavior: at physiological pH its structure remains intact and Cu²⁺ release is minimal, whereas the acidic microenvironment of infected wounds triggers disassembly, releasing Cu²⁺ and generating ^•OH radicals through peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity. This dual-functional ionic-catalytic mechanism achieves potent bactericidal effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. At 6 μg/mL, PZH eliminates >99% of Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro assays further confirm that PZH is cytocompatible and accelerates cell migration. To overcome the application limitations of conventional Cu nanoparticle suspensions, PZH was loaded into a thermosensitive F127 hydrogel to yield PZHF, which preserves the POD-like activity and enables minimally invasive, injectable delivery to irregular wound geometries. In vivo tests further demonstrated that the biocompatible PZHF hydrogel displayed good antibacterial properties and promoted wound healing. As a smart, clinically translatable Cu-based nanomedicine, this system provides a precision therapeutic strategy for treating bacterially infected wounds.