Engineering Injectable Co-Assembled Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogel by Photothermal Driven Recombinant Human Type III Collagen-Stabilized MoS2 for Accelerating Infected Wound Therapy.
Jul 2026· Small· pp.
e74725
· 0 citations· 54 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The photothermal-driven AHAMA+rhCM hydrogel represents a promising therapeutic strategy for infected wound repair, offering a dual-action solution that integrates effective antibacterial properties with enhanced tissue regeneration capabilities.
Abstract
The application of adhesive hydrogels with phototherapy-based antibacterial properties has been extensively exploited in the repair of infected tissues. However, bacterial stress-adaptation may compromise the antibacterial efficacy of photothermal therapy. Herein, an injectable hydrogel by integrating aldehyde-functionalized hyaluronic acid modified by methacrylic anhydride (AHAMA) with recombinant human type III collagen (rhCol III)-modified molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) (namely AHAMA+rhCM hydrogel) was developed. rhCol III was cross-linked with AHAMA to form a double-network hydrogel that enhanced mechanical properties, as well as acting as a structural stabilizer of MoS2 to improve dispersion stability, ensuring photothermal conversion and effective antibacterial properties. According to an experimental study on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)-infected wound healing, AHAMA+rhCM hydrogel under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation demonstrated the best wound healing efficiency in comparison to AHAMA and AHAMA+rhCM hydrogel without NIR exposure. This can be attributed to its potent antibacterial activity, attenuated inflammatory response, promoted angiogenesis, and optimized collagen deposition patterns, which collectively contributed to accelerated tissue regeneration and wound closure. In summary, the photothermal-driven AHAMA+rhCM hydrogel represents a promising therapeutic strategy for infected wound repair, offering a dual-action solution that integrates effective antibacterial properties with enhanced tissue regeneration capabilities.
A pioneering near-infrared activated antibacterial EPLGA/OHADA@HMCuS hydrogel was formulated by doping hollow mesoporous copper sulfide (HMCuS) into the three-dimensional spatial network structure formed between gallic acid-modified ε-polylysine (EPL-GA) and dopamine-engineered and oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHADA) and showcased favorable biocompatibility, sustaining cellular viability.
N. Wang, Wei Jiang, Feiyu Lu et al.· Biomaterials Advances· 0 citations
Conventional wound dressings often fail to integrate rapid hemostasis, antibacterial protection, and a pro-regenerative microenvironment, leading to persistent infection and delayed healing in complex wounds. Herein, we report a multifunctional self-adhesive hydrogel for integrated hemostatic, antibacterial, and regenerative wound management with a synergistic dual-crosslinked network. The hydrogel is composed of methylacrylamide-modified type I collagen (ColMA), o-nitrobenzene-modified hyaluronic acid (HANB), and methylacrylamide-modified chitosan (CSMA), and can rapidly form in situ under UV irradiation through free-radical polymerization of methacrylamide groups and Schiff base reactions between HANB and amino groups on ColMA/CSMA. Once applied to infected wounds, the hydrogel rapidly seals the wound bed and adheres tightly to the tissue, where HANB contributes hemostatic and adhesive properties, CSMA provides intrinsic antibacterial activity to inhibit bacterial colonization, and ColMA offers extracellular matrix-mimicking cues to support cell adhesion and tissue regeneration. Through this coordinated mechanism, the hydrogel not only controls bleeding and reduces infection risk at the early stage but also promotes the growth of granulation tissue, re-epithelialization, and matrix reconstruction during the subsequent repair phase. This platform integrates wound closure, antibacterial defense, and tissue regeneration into a single dressing system, acting as a promising strategy for the treatment of infected wounds.
She-Ji Weng, Zhongqin Lin, Kai Tan et al.· ACS Biomaterials Science & E...· 0 citations
A multifunctional composite hydrogel (GelDA/OPL) with excellent adhesion, self-healing properties, injectability, and photothermal antibacterial activity through Schiff base crosslinking between dopamine-modified gelatin (GelDA) and oxidized pullulan (OPL) is constructed.
Chen Zhang, Surui Yang, Zhi Xu et al.· Journal of materials chemist...· 0 citations
High-quality repair of full-thickness skin defects necessitates not only epithelial tissue healing but the facilitation of orderly microstructural reconstruction. This includes aligned collagen deposition, regeneration of skin appendages such as hair follicles, and suppression of scar formation. To address these requirements, this study developed an injectable multifunctional composite hydrogel based on caffeic acid and quaternary ammonium-modified chitosan (qCSc), incorporated with recombinant humanized type III collagen (rhCol III) and laponite (LAP). This organic/inorganic hybrid hydrogel forms a stable three-dimensional network through dual crosslinking: enzymatic covalent bonding and LAP-mediated physical interactions, supported by chemical, electrostatic, and hydrogen bonding, which enables sustained release of rhCol III. In vitro, the hydrogel showed good biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, attenuated M1-like macrophage activation, and enhanced fibroblast migration and angiogenesis. In full-thickness skin defect models, the hydrogel significantly accelerated wound closure, promoted early vascularization, facilitated well-organized collagen remodeling, and supported hair follicle-associated regenerative features, while effectively attenuating scar-prone remodeling. Taken together, this organic/inorganic composite hydrogel dressing, which enables sustained release of rhCol III, represents a promising and innovative strategy for management of full-thickness skin injuries. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Current wound dressings facilitate closure but offer limited support for high-quality repair. Here, we present a bioactive composite hydrogel with a distinct dual-crosslinked architecture comprising caffeic acid and quaternary ammonium-modified chitosan (qCSc) and Laponite (Lap), designed for the sustained delivery of recombinant humanized collagen III (rhCol III). This platform uniquely integrates multiple regeneration-relevant bioactivities, synergistically reducing inflammation and oxidative stress while promoting angiogenesis and cell migration in vitro. In full-thickness skin defect models, it not only accelerated wound closure but also achieved key regenerative outcomes with enhanced hair follicle-associated regeneration and reduced scar-prone remodeling. This work establishes a sustained-delivery strategy that couples matrix cues with microenvironment regulation for high-quality wound repair.
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This work demonstrates a safe and effective strategy for combating MDR infections through the combined action of photothermal therapy and nanozyme catalysis, offering promising potential for clinical wound management.
Weiwei Zhang, Lixiang Fan, Xuanjun Zhang et al.· ACS Applied Materials and In...· 0 citations
Animal experiments revealed enhanced collagen deposition and angiogenesis, together with 98.8% wound closure by day 12, and offer an alternative route for designing intelligent dressings for diabetic wounds.
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