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Published on: November 17, 2018
Ruthenium Dioxide-Incorporated Dual-Responsive Hydrogel Promotes MRSA-Infected Diabetic Wound Healing via
Rongrong Li1,2, Shangbo Zhang3, Zan Wang2
1Key Laboratory for the Structure and Function of Polysaccharides in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Jilin Province), Beihua University, Jilin 132013, China.
Biomacromolecules
|July 21, 2026
Summary
A novel hydrogel (G@Ru) effectively treats infected diabetic wounds by combating drug-resistant bacteria and promoting healing. This antibiotic-free approach reshapes the wound microenvironment for accelerated tissue regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Wound Healing
Background:
- Diabetic wounds present a complex challenge due to microenvironmental imbalance and bacterial infections.
- Drug-resistant bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, exacerbate poor healing outcomes.
- Current therapeutic strategies often fall short in addressing the multifaceted nature of infected diabetic wound microenvironments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a multifunctional, pH/ROS-responsive hydrogel (G@Ru) for treating infected diabetic wounds.
- To investigate the hydrogel's ability to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria and modulate the wound microenvironment.
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of G@Ru in promoting diabetic wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a dual stimulus-responsive hydrogel (G@Ru) incorporating Ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) via dynamic Schiff base and boronate ester linkages.
- Assessment of hydrogel properties including injectability, adhesiveness, self-healing, and hemostasis.
- Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of RuNPs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
- In vivo studies to analyze the hydrogel's effects on macrophage polarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration.
Main Results:
- G@Ru demonstrated dual pH/ROS responsiveness, injectability, adhesiveness, self-healing, and hemostatic capabilities.
- The incorporated RuNPs exhibited intrinsic antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
- In vivo studies showed G@Ru effectively regulated macrophage polarization, modulated ROS levels, enhanced cell proliferation, stimulated angiogenesis, and accelerated tissue regeneration.
- G@Ru achieved a remarkable 98% wound closure rate in infected diabetic wounds by day 14.
Conclusions:
- The multifunctional G@Ru hydrogel offers a promising antibiotic-free therapeutic strategy for infected diabetic wounds.
- G@Ru effectively reshapes the wound microenvironment in a multidimensional manner, promoting accelerated healing.
- The developed hydrogel holds significant potential for clinical translation in treating complex wound conditions.