Immunomodulatory Hydrogel for Electrostatically Capturing Pro-inflammatory Factors and Chemically Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species in Chronic Diabetic Wound Remodeling

Diabetic wound exhibits the complex characteristics involving continuous oxidative stress and excessive expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines to cause a long-term inflammatory microenvironment. The repair healing of chronic diabetic wounding is tremendously hindered due to persistent inflammatory reaction. To address the aforementioned issues, here, a dual-functional hydrogel is designed, consisting of N1-(4-boronobenzyl)-N3-(4-boronophenyl)-N1, N1, N3, N3-tetramethylpropane-1, 3-diaminium (TSPBA) modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and methacrylamide carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCSMA) can not only electrostatically adsorb proinflammatory cytokines of IL1-β and TNF-α, but can also chemically scavenge the excessive Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in situ. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations verify that the negatively charged and ROS-responsive hydrogel (NCRH) can effectively modulate the chronic inflammatory microenvironment of diabetic wounds and significantly enhance wound remodeling. More importantly, the well-designed NCRH shows a superior skin recovery in comparison with the commercial competitor product of wound dressing. Consequently, the current work highlights the need for new strategies to expedite the healing process of diabetic wounds and offers a wound dressing material with immunomodulation.

diabetic wounds; hydrogel; immunomodulation; pro‐inflammatory cytokines; reactive oxygen species.