Methacrylated gelatin hydrogel conjugated with ε-polylysine and enriched with platelet-rich plasma for chronically infected wounds

Abstract

While numerous hydrogel dressings are available for treating chronically infected wounds, their clinical application is impeded by intricate preparation processes, low mechanical strength, and frequent reliance on exogenous antimicrobial agents. The latter often leads to antibiotic misuse and compromises the bioactivity of cell growth-promoting substances. Therefore, the field of therapeutic treatment is faced with a pressing need to prepare high-mechanical-strength hydrogels through a facile procedure, achieving endogenous antibacterial characteristics and long-term healing abilities for chronically infected wounds. In this study, employing the Michael addition reaction principle, we conducted the conjugate addition of the natural antimicrobial poly amino acid, ε-polylysine (ε-PL), to gelatin methacrylate. This not only augmented the hydrogel’s mechanical strength but also preserved its antimicrobial efficacy. Subsequently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), capable of releasing diverse growth factors, was introduced. Injectable and degradable hydrogels with high mechanical strength and water absorption were prepared through UV curing while retaining PRP bioactivity. The combination of PRP and ε-PL substantiated the enhanced antimicrobial properties and promotion of human umbilical vein endothelial cell growth, as validated through bacterial inhibition experiments, such as live-dead bacterial staining and cellular assays, including cell proliferation. Therefore, the as-developed PL-PRP hydrogel presents as a promising hydrogel dressing for the treatment of chronically infected wounds.