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

Abstract

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.