Lysozyme-Loaded Rough Calcium Alginate Hydrogel Film for Antibacterial Wound Dressing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Wound Healing Research
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Antibacterial wound dressings are crucial for effective healing.
• Lysozyme is a promising antibacterial agent for wound applications.
• Calcium alginate (CaAlg) hydrogels offer a versatile platform for drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple method for loading lysozyme into CaAlg hydrogel films.
• To enhance lysozyme loading efficiency by controlling film surface roughness.
• To evaluate the antibacterial and wound healing potential of the lysozyme-loaded CaAlg films.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of CaAlg hydrogel films with gradient thicknesses using copper wire molds.
• Morphological characterization to assess surface roughness.
• Lysozyme loading and release studies.
• In vitro antibacterial assays.
• In vivo wound healing experiments.

Main Results:

• Film thickness was successfully controlled, leading to variations in surface roughness.
• Thinner films exhibited rougher surfaces, enhancing lysozyme adsorption and loading capacity.
• The CaAlg-lysozyme films demonstrated significant antibacterial activity.
• In vivo studies showed accelerated wound healing with CaAlg-lysozyme films, achieving 91.43% healing by day 10.

Conclusions:

• Tailoring CaAlg hydrogel film thickness is an effective strategy to control surface roughness and improve lysozyme loading.
• The developed CaAlg-lysozyme films possess excellent antibacterial properties and promote wound healing.
• These findings highlight the potential of CaAlg-lysozyme films as advanced wound dressing materials.