An NIR photothermal-responsive hybrid hydrogel for enhanced wound healing

• Published in: Bioactive materials 2022-10, Vol.16, p.162-172
• Main Authors: Jin, Lin, Guo, Xiaoqing, Gao, Di, Liu, Yan, Ni, Jiahua, Zhang, Zhiming, Huang, Yiqiao, Xu, Guibin, Yang, Zhe, Zhang, Xingcai, Jiang, Xianhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis promotion; Hydrogel; Nanofibers; NIR response; Scarless wound healing
• ISSN: 2452-199X; 2452-199X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.03.006

Moderately regulating vascularization and immune microenvironment of wound site is necessary to achieve scarless wound healing of the skin. Herein, we have prepared an angiogenesis-promoting and scar-preventing band-aid with a core-shell structure, that consists of MXene-loaded nanofibers (MNFs) as the core and dopamine-hyaluronic acid hydrogel (H) as the shell (MNFs@V–H@DA) to encapsulate a growth factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF, abbreviated as V) and H2S donor (diallyl trisulfide, DATS, abbreviated as DA). The continuous release of DA from this system produced H2S, which would successfully induce macrophages to polarize into M2-lile phenotype, regulating the immune microenvironment and inhibiting an excessive inflammatory response at the wound sites. It is conducive to the proliferation of skin cells, facilitating the wound healing. In addition, an appropriate amount of VEGF can be released from the MXene nanofibrous skeleton by adjusting the time of near-infrared (NIR) light exposure, preventing excessive neovascularization and extracellular matrix deposition at the wound sites. Collectively, this NIR photothermal-responsive band-aid achieved scarless wound healing through gradient-controlled vascularization and a related immune sequential reaction of damaged skin tissue. An angiogenesis-promoting and scar-preventing band-aid that consists of MXene-loaed nanofibers (MNFs) as the core and dopamine-hydroxyapatite hydrogel (H) as the shell (MNFs@V–H@DA) was prepared. This NIR photothermal-responsive band-aid achieved scarless wound healing through gradient-controlled vascularization and a related immune sequential reaction of damaged skin tissue, which is a promising strategy to achieve scarless wound healing. [Display omitted] •A hybrid system combining hydrogel and nanofibers developed as band-aid for wound healing.•Mild hyperthermia induced by photothermal therapy achieves VEGF controlled release for appropriate neovascularization of wound site.•Continuous release of H2S facilitates the polarization of macrophages toward M2-like phenotype to regulate immune microenvironment of wound site.•The synergism of neovascularization and immune regulation accelerates the wound healing.