A glucose oxidase-powered multi-responsive composite hydrogel with a cascade-amplified antibacterial response for...

The complex microenvironment of wounds, characterized by hyperglycemia and bacterial infections, significantly impedes the healing process, thereby necessitating the development of highly effective bio-composite wound dressings. Herein, a recombinant glucose oxidase (GOD)-based cascade catalytic MIL@GOD was fabricated and encapsulated within a carbohydrate-rich dual-network hydrogel matrix composed of carboxyethyl chitosan (CECS) and oxidized sodium alginate (OSA) and mechanically reinforcing oxidized bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (OxBCNC) to construct a multi-responsive and cascade-amplified composite hydrogel. The hydrogel demonstrated excellent mechanical properties and multiple responsiveness, including cascade catalytic activity, antibacterial activity, anti-biofilm activity, and desirable biocompatibility. The evaluation of the wound healing effects of the resultant composite hydrogels revealed that these hydrogel dressings enhanced the healing process in full-thickness skin defect models. The desirable wound healing effects may be attributed to the ability of the hydrogel to consume glucose at the wound site and self-supply H₂O₂ for ROS production, thereby reducing glucose concentrations while concurrently decreasing bacterial infections and inflammatory responses. Additionally, the composite hydrogel functions as a supportive dressing to facilitate collagen deposition and angiogenesis, thereby enhancing the wound healing process. These results collectively indicate that the composite hydrogel successfully constructs a GOD-mediated multi-responsive cascade platform as an antibacterial wound dressing, demonstrating significant potential for the treatment of infected wounds.