Chronic biofilm infections present a significant threat to human health and survival. Herein, a biofilm-activated enzymatic biofuel cell-based self-powered dressing (EBFC) was constructed for electrotherapy of infected diabetic wounds. The EBFC consisted of a flexible carbonized nonwoven fabric immobilized with lactate oxidase as the bioanode and bilirubin oxidase as the biocathode, respectively, along with a Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LG)-loaded sodium alginate hydrogel as an electrolyte layer. Particularly, the EBFC consumes biofilm extracellular polymeric substances to disrupt biofilm and produce lactate as an endogenous fuel to power electricity generation. Simultaneously, bactericidal metabolites secreted by LG combined in the EBFC endow it with the ability to kill the bacteria within the biofilm. Collectively, the EBFC exhibits strong antibiofilm activity and sustains continuous and compensating electric field generation (approximately 240 mV for over 30 h). By synergizing the antibacterial and electricity generation activity, the EBFC expedites biofilm-infected chronic diabetic wound healing in vivo by enabling sterilization to suppress inflammation and by remodeling the endogenous electric field to enhance collagen deposition and angiogenesis. This dressing represents a facile and promising self-powered electrotherapy strategy that harnesses biofilm-derived components as an energy source for autonomous operation while exerting synergistic antibacterial effects.
Yuan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.