Sprayable methacrylic anhydride-modified gelatin hydrogel combined with bionic neutrophils nanoparticles for scar-free wound healing of diabetes mellitus

Hard-to-healing or nonhealing diabetic wounds caused by hyperglycemia, bacterial infection and chronic inflammation are becoming a challenge globally. In this study, a novel hydrogel for diabetic wound healing composed of methacrylic anhydride-modified gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel and mimicking neutrophil nanoparticles was originally created. The prepared GelMA hydrogel has good sprayability and film-formation ability under blue light illumination (wavelength = 435-480 nm). Nanoparticles mimicking neutrophils belong to a double enzyme system that are encapsulated in ZIF-8 nanoparticles, which can consume glucose to produce HClO, ensuring a decrease in the glucose concentration of the wound and growth inhibition in bacteria. The hydrogel also has excellent biocompatibility, which can promote the growth and proliferation of fibroblasts. More importantly, the hydrogel can accelerate wound healing in type I diabetic rats owing to the downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, and the wound with an area of 1 cm(2) can be almost fully healed with no formation of the scar on the 21st day, as verified by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. All these combinations indicate its potential in diabetic wound treatment.

Automated summary

This study developed a novel hydrogel consisting of GelMA and neutrophil-like nanoparticles for diabetic wound healing. The hydrogel exhibited good sprayability and film-forming ability, and the nanoparticles acted as a double enzyme system to consume glucose and inhibit bacterial growth. The hydrogel also demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and could promote cell growth and proliferation. In diabetic rats, the hydrogel accelerated wound healing by downregulating proinflammatory cytokines.