Abstract Bacterial infection in the injured skin may threaten the wound repair and skin regeneration owing to aggravated inflammation. The multifunctional dressings with persistent antibacterial activity and improved anti-inflammatory capability are urgently required. Herein, a type of heterogeneous zinc/catechol-derived resin microspheres (Zn/CFRs) composed of zinc ions (Zn2+) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles was developed to impart the methacrylamide chitosan (CSMA)-aldehyde hyaluronic acid (OHA) hydrogel with a persistent Zn2+ release behavior. The Zn/CFRs synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method, exhibited a Zn2+-enriched surface and internal ZnO nanoparticles. Owing to the unique microstructure of the microspheres, the Zn/CFRs- functionalized hydrogel (CH-ZnCFR) was able to rapidly release Zn2+ in the initial phase and sustain the release of Zn2+ for 14 days. Importantly, CH-ZnCFR exhibited excellent anti-inflammatory property by facilitating the macrophage polarization, and also effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli. In addition, CH-ZnCFR showed excellent self-healing and tissue adhesion properties, and great cytocompatibility by improving fibroblast migration behavior in vitro. Moreover, CH-ZnCFR demonstrated outstanding therapeutic effects in a murine model of S. aureus-infected wounds, including effectively inhibiting bacterial growth, reducing inflammation, increasing the number of M2-type macrophages and facilitating collagen deposition, angiogenesis and tissue regeneration. Therefore, this Zn/CFRs-functionalized composite hydrogel represents a promising strategy for bacterial-infected wound healing and regeneration.
Qu et al. (2025) studied this question.