Oxygen-Delivering Antimicrobial Janus Hydrogels for Wound Healing Applications

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Chronic wounds suffer from hypoxia and infection, hindering natural healing processes.
• Existing treatments often fail to adequately address both oxygen deprivation and bacterial load.
• A multifunctional approach is needed to overcome these barriers in wound management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a 3D printed bilayer hydrogel wound dressing with combined oxygen-releasing, oxygen-transporting, and antibacterial capabilities.
• To investigate the dressing's efficacy in addressing hypoxic conditions and bacterial infections in chronic wounds.
• To evaluate the dressing's impact on cell viability, oxidative stress, and wound closure rates.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a bilayer hydrogel system using alginate (upper layer) and an antibacterial polymer (lower layer).
• Incorporation of calcium peroxide (CaO2) for oxygen release and perfluorocarbon-based nanoparticles (PMOF) for oxygen transport.
• 3D printing of the scaffold to ensure printability and assess mechanical/degradation properties.
• In vitro testing for oxygen release kinetics, antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, cell viability, and wound closure using scratch assays.

Main Results:

• The bilayer hydrogel demonstrated continuous oxygen release (5.5 mg/L O2 over 5 days) under hypoxic conditions.
• Significant antibacterial activity was observed against Gram-positive S. aureus and moderate activity against Gram-negative E. coli.
• In vitro studies showed enhanced cell viability and promoted wound closure (approx. 90-95%) under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions.
• Lipid peroxidation assays suggested the dressing maintains cellular compatibility while exhibiting antibacterial effects.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D printed bilayer hydrogel dressing effectively addresses key challenges in chronic wound healing, namely hypoxia and infection.
• The combination of oxygen supply, transport, and antibacterial properties promotes a conducive environment for tissue regeneration.
• This multifunctional dressing shows significant potential for improving chronic wound treatment outcomes.