Immunomodulatory Antibacterial Hydrogel for Wound Infection Management

Jing Han,1,2,* Qingxun Meng,1,2,* Taicheng Liu,1,2 Mengru Lv,1,2 Wenxuan Su,1,2 Beibei Liu,1,2 Jiannan Wu1,2 1Department of Oral Implantology, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300041, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Function Reconstruction, Tianjin, 300041, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jing Han; Jiannan Wu, Department of Oral Implantology, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300041, People’s Republic of China, Email hanj0203@163.com; bdxiaosier@163.comBackground: Wound healing has always been a focal point in clinical work. Bacterial infections and immune microenvironment disorders can both hinder normal wound healing. Current wound dressings only serve a covering function. Developing wound dressings with antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions is crucial for aiding wound healing. To address this issue, we have developed a hydrogel with antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions for managing infected wounds.Methods: The present study describes a photo-crosslinked antibacterial hydrogel composed of curcumin, silver nanoparticles-loaded reduced graphene oxide, and silk fibroin methacryloyl for the treatment of infected wounds. The study assessed its antibacterial properties and its capacity to induce macrophage M2 polarization through in vitro and in vivo experiments.Results: The hydrogel demonstrates robust antibacterial properties and enhances macrophage M2 polarization in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Moreover, it accelerates the healing of infected wounds in vivo by stimulating collagen deposition and angiogenesis.Conclusion: Overall, this hydrogel shows great potential in managing wound infections. Keywords: infected wound healing, silk fibroin methacryloyl, curcumin, silver nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide, immunomodulation, antibacterial