From hemostasis to proliferation: Accelerating the infected wound healing through a comprehensive repair strategy based on GA/OKGM hydrogel loaded with MXene@TiO2 nanosheets

Abstract

The treatment of infected wounds poses a formidable challenge in clinical practice due to the detrimental effects of uncontrolled bacterial infection and excessive oxidative stress, resulting in prolonged inflammation and impaired wound healing. In this study, we presented a MXene@TiO₂ (MT) nanosheets loaded composite hydrogel named as GA/OKGM/MT hydrogel, which was formed based on the Schiff base reaction between adipic dihydrazide modified gelatin (GA)and Oxidized Konjac Glucomannan (OKGM), as the wound dressing. During the hemostasis phase, the GA/OKGM/MT hydrogel demonstrated effective adherence to the skin, facilitating rapid hemostasis. In the subsequent inflammation phase, the GA/OKGM/MT hydrogel effectively eradicated bacteria through MXene@TiO₂-induced photothermal therapy (PTT) and eliminated excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby facilitating the transition from the inflammation phase to the proliferation phase. During the proliferation phase, the combined application of GA/OKGM/MT hydrogel with electrical stimulation (ES) promoted fibroblast proliferation and migration, leading to accelerated collagen deposition and angiogenesis at the wound site. Overall, the comprehensive repair strategy based on the GA/OKGM/MT hydrogel demonstrated both safety and reliability. It expedited the progression through the hemostasis, inflammation, and proliferation phases of wound healing, showcasing significant potential for the treatment of infected wounds.

Keywords: Electrical stimulation; Hydrogel; Infected wound healing; MXene@TiO(2) nanosheets; Photothermal therapy.