Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogel with a Glucose-Responsive ROS Scavenging Ability for Diabetic Wound Healing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Chronic diabetic wounds exhibit excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production under hyperglycemia, hindering tissue regeneration.
• Current treatments often fail to address the underlying oxidative stress and glucose dysregulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel with glucose-responsive ROS-scavenging capabilities for diabetic wound management.
• To investigate the hydrogel's efficacy in promoting wound healing in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a dual-crosslinked HA hydrogel using methacrylated HA-phenylboronic acid (HAMA-PBA) and HA-dopamine (HA-DA) via photocrosslinking and boronate-catechol interactions.
• Evaluation of glucose-responsive ROS scavenging, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and keratinocyte migration in vitro.
• Assessment of wound closure, re-epithelialization, and collagen organization in a mouse model of chronic diabetic wounds.

Main Results:

• The developed hydrogel demonstrated suitable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility.
• In vitro studies showed glucose-dependent ROS scavenging and enhanced keratinocyte migration.
• In vivo experiments in mice revealed accelerated wound closure with improved tissue regeneration in the hydrogel-treated group.

Conclusions:

• Glucose-responsive antioxidant modulation using HA-based hydrogels offers a promising therapeutic strategy for managing oxidative stress in chronic diabetic wounds.
• The developed hydrogel dressing effectively promotes healing by addressing hyperglycemia-induced ROS production.