Affiliation:
1. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin 150086 PR China
2. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Qingdao University Qingdao 266071 PR China
3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao 266035 PR China
Abstract
AbstractPolymer hydrogels find extensive application in biomedicine, serving specific purposes such as drug delivery, biosensing, bioimaging, cancer therapy, tissue engineering, and others. In response to the growing threat of bacterial infections and the escalating resistance to conventional antibiotics, this research introduces a novel injectable, self‐healing antimicrobial hydrogel comprising bioactive aldolized hyaluronic acid (AHA) and quaternized chitosan (QCS). This designed QCS/AHA hydrogel incorporates self‐assembling peptide nanofibers (PNFs) and small‐sized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for tailored functionality. The resulting hybrid QCS/AHA/PNF/AgNPs hydrogel demonstrates impressive rheological characteristics, broad‐spectrum antimicrobial efficacy, and high biocompatibility. Notably, its antimicrobial effectiveness against Escherichia coli and S. aureus surpasses 99.9%, underscoring its potential for treating infectious wounds. Moreover, the rheological analysis confirms its excellent shear‐thinning and self‐healing properties, enabling it to conform closely to irregular wound surfaces. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assessment reveals its compatibility with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, exhibiting no significant adverse effects. The combined attributes of this bioactive QCS/AHA/PNF/AgNPs hydrogel position it as a promising candidate for antimicrobial applications and wound healing.
Funder
Taishan Scholar Foundation of Shandong Province