Aug 2026· Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology· Vol 14· 0 citations· 48 references
Medicine
TL;DR
In vivo results further demonstrated that CCH hydrogel patches accelerated wound closure, improved healing quality, and attenuated scar-like changes in mice, providing a promising biomaterial strategy for high-quality repair of complex skin wounds.
Abstract
Background Wound healing is a common issue in dermatology and plastic surgery practice and is jointly regulated by multiple factors, including cell proliferation, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, bacterial infection, and tissue remodeling. Complex wounds still face challenges such as delayed repair, persistent inflammation, increased infection risk, and scar formation, while conventional treatments are difficult to achieve coordinated intervention across multiple stages. Therefore, developing biomaterials with pro-repair, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and healing quality-improving functions is of great significance. Objective This study aimed to construct a Cu–CeO2 nanoparticle (NP)-loaded hyaluronic acid methacrylate composite hydrogel patch, named Cu–CeO2-loaded HAMA (CCH), to improve the wound repair microenvironment and promote high-quality wound healing through multifunctional synergistic effects. Methods Cu–CeO2 NPs were synthesized using a hydrothermal method and loaded into HAMA hydrogel to prepare CCH hydrogel patches. In vitro experiments were performed to evaluate their biocompatibility, cell proliferation- and migration-promoting abilities, antioxidative/anti-inflammatory properties, nanozyme activity, and antibacterial effects. Meanwhile, a mouse full-thickness skin wound model was established to further verify the in vivo wound healing-promoting efficacy of CCH hydrogel patches. Results Cu–CeO2 NPs and CCH hydrogel patches were successfully prepared. In vitro results showed that Cu–CeO2 NPs exhibited favorable biocompatibility, promoted fibroblast proliferation and migration, enhanced endothelial cell viability, and facilitated macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype. In addition, these NPs exhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capacity and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposition-mediated oxygen generation ability, and markedly inhibited methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). In vivo results further demonstrated that CCH hydrogel patches accelerated wound closure, improved healing quality, and attenuated scar-like changes in mice. Conclusion This study developed Cu–CeO2 NP-loaded CCH hydrogel patches that can synergistically regulate the wound microenvironment through multiple effects, including pro-repair, antioxidative/anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and tissue remodeling-improving activities, providing a promising biomaterial strategy for high-quality repair of complex skin wounds.
Background/objectives: Delayed wound healing, along with excessive scar formation, is the major clinical drawback due to the presence of stubborn bacteria, oxidative stress, prolonged inflammation, and irregular tissue regeneration. Utilizing nanomaterial-based wound dressings offers significant advancements and minimal cytotoxicity, but also presents issues such as poor biocompatibility, low solubility, and reduced permeability. These factors limit the effectiveness of nanomaterial-based wound dressings in promoting complete tissue regeneration. To overcome these limitations, plant-derived bioactives are integrated with nanomaterials within a hydrogel cage to enhance antibacterial activity, mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation, and promote tissue regeneration. Methods: A multifunctional alginate–gelatin hydrogel incorporating silver nanoparticles and plant extracts (AG-AgNP-PE) was developed to promote scar-free wound healing, alongside a plant extract-free silver nanoparticles-loaded hydrogel for comparative evaluation of the functional contribution of plant bioactives. The biological performance of the formulated hydrogels was systematically evaluated through antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm assays, while in vitro cytocompatibility and proregenerative activity were assessed using MTT and Alamar Blue assays, live/dead cell imaging, and a scratch-wound assay, complemented by in vivo evaluation in zebrafish embryos. Results: Pro-angiogenic activity was further investigated using the CAM model, and therapeutic efficacy was validated in an in vivo rat burn wound model through microscopic wound assessment, histopathological examination, and biochemical assays. Conclusions: Among the hydrogels, AG-AgNP-PE exhibited superior performance across all key properties, highlighting the synergistic effect of the nanomaterial combined with plant extracts within hydrogel cages and positioning it as a promising multifunctional wound dressing for rapid tissue regeneration and scar-free wound healing, suitable for advanced wound management.
Devadass Jessy Mercy, K. Girigoswami, P. Durgadevi et al.· Gels· 0 citations
Findings suggest that the synthesized hydrogel (BSG‐CHI) provides a favorable microenvironment for tissue regeneration and wound management applications.
Durgesh Kumar, Suhela Tyeb, Baby Shruit Shukla et al.· MedComm – Biomaterials and A...· 0 citations
Chronic wounds constitute a major clinical and socioeconomic burden owing to prolonged inflammation, persistent bacterial infection, impaired angiogenesis, and defective extracellular matrix remodeling. Advanced wound dressings have traditionally been developed to promote tissue regeneration, control bacterial infection, and restore the wound microenvironment. Recent advances have focused on multifunctional biomaterials integrating regenerative, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and controlled drug-delivery properties. Within this context, antiviral biointerface engineering has emerged as a promising, although still exploratory, materials-engineering perspective rather than an established function of wound dressings. Hydrogel–metal–organic framework (MOF) hybrid polymer composites have emerged as versatile platforms for multifunctional wound dressings. Hydrogels provide hydrated three-dimensional matrices with tunable porosity, swelling behavior, mechanical compliance, and biocompatibility, whereas MOFs contribute high surface area, adjustable pore architectures, chemically tailorable active sites, and controlled ion release. Their integration generates synergistic systems whose performance is governed by structure–function relationships involving polymer crosslinking density, MOF dispersion, pore hierarchy, interfacial adhesion, swelling dynamics, and surface functionalization. Collectively, these parameters regulate mass transport, mechanical stability, therapeutic delivery, and cytocompatibility while potentially influencing virus–material interactions through engineered biointerfaces. Current evidence indicates that direct experimental demonstrations of antiviral performance in hydrogel–MOF wound dressing systems remain limited. Accordingly, antiviral biointerface functions should be regarded as emerging engineering opportunities requiring further experimental validation before clinical translation. This review critically analyzes the structure–function engineering principles governing hydrogel–MOF hybrid systems and examines how established regenerative functions may be integrated with emerging antiviral biointerface concepts. Unlike previous reviews focused primarily on drug delivery, antibacterial activity, or tissue engineering, this review emphasizes the relationships between polymer architecture, MOF chemistry, interfacial design, and transport phenomena while explicitly distinguishing experimentally supported evidence from prospective mechanistic concepts. Particular attention is given to current limitations, translational challenges, and future directions for the rational design of next-generation multifunctional hydrogel–MOF wound dressings.
Irving A. González-Lara, Nallely G. Hernández-Hernández, L. K. Usme-Duque et al.· Gels· 0 citations
A multifunctional CeO2/PCL nanofibrous scaffold integrating real-time pH sensing, enhanced stem cell adhesion, and antioxidant functions was developed and exhibited significant antibacterial activity, potent reactive oxygen species scavenging capability, and excellent biocompatibility.
Chunyu Chi, Yuantao Gao, Jiazhu Chen et al.· ACS Applied Bio Materials· 0 citations
Skin wound healing is a complex and dynamic biological process that requires the suppression of excessive inflammation and oxidative stress, control of microbial invasion, and promotion of tissue regeneration. Conventional wound dressings often fail to modulate the wound microenvironment, limiting their effectiveness in chronic and infected wounds. In recent years, microgels have emerged as a promising candidate for wound healing due to their injectability, high surface area, tunable physicochemical properties, adaptability to irregular wound surface, and ability to encapsulate diverse therapeutic agents. Herein, recent advances in the design and fabrication of multifunctional microgels, highlighting their building blocks, fabrication strategies, and key characterization techniques are summarized. The application of microgels for skin wound healing is discussed, with emphasis on their roles in drug delivery, antibacterial action, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulation. Furthermore, recent progress in microgel-based hybrid dressings is reviewed, where microgels are integrated with other material systems, such as hydrogels, to achieve enhanced therapeutic performance. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives related to the clinical translation of microgel-based wound dressings are outlined. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of microgel-based strategies and underscores their growing potential in advanced wound care applications.