Fibrous Nanozyme Dressings with Catalase-Like Activity for H2O2 Reduction To Promote Wound Healing

Abstract

The concentrations of the redox pair hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and oxygen (O₂) can promote or decelerate the progression and duration of the wound healing process. Although H₂O₂ can reach critically high concentrations and prohibit healing, a sufficient O₂ inflow to the wound is commonly desired. Herein, we describe the fabrication and use of a membrane that can contemptuously decrease H₂O₂ and increase O₂ levels. Therefore, hematite nanozyme particles were integrated into electrospun and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes. Within the dual-compound membrane, the polymeric mesh provides a porous scaffold with high water permeability and the nanozymes act as a catalyst with catalase-like activity that can efficiently convert H₂O₂ into O₂, as shown by a catalase assay. When comparing the growth of fibroblasts at an H₂O₂ concentration of 50 μM, the growth was largely enhanced when applying the nanozyme dressing. Thus, application of the nanozyme dressing can significantly reduce the harmful effect of higher H₂O₂ concentrations. The described catalytic membranes could be used in the future to provide an improved environment for cell proliferation in wounds and thus applied as advanced wound healing dressings.

Keywords: electrospun membranes; enzyme mimics; fibrous gels; hematite nanozymes; hydrogen peroxide catalysis; wound dressing.