Dual pH/NIR-responsive chitosan/gelatin sponge functionalized with boron nanosheets/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/curcumin for synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy of bacteria-infected wounds.
TL;DR
In vivo studies using an infected wound model demonstrated that the CG/BZC sponge significantly promotes tissue regeneration and accelerates wound healing, providing a promising and versatile approach for designing smart responsive dressings for advanced wound care.
Abstract
The treatment of bacterially infected wounds requires advanced dressings capable of delivering therapeutic interventions on demand. In this study, we developed a multifunctional chitosan/gelatin (CG) sponge incorporating boron nanosheet-based nanocomposites (BZC) loaded with curcumin and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), which acts as a pH/near-infrared (NIR) dual-responsive nanoplatform for synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy targeting of infected wounds. The CG/BZC composite sponge was fabricated by solution blending, freeze-drying and subsequent alkali-induced crosslinking, resulting in a highly porous structure that combines excellent water absorption with mechanical toughness. The boron nanosheet (B NS) core serves as an efficient photothermal agent, while curcumin (Cur) acts as a bioactive component with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Crucially, upon exposure to near-infrared light, the B NS-mediated photothermal effect not only generates localized heat to kill bacteria but also accelerates the release of Cur by disrupting the ZIF-8 framework, thereby enabling precise, on-demand combined photothermal-chemotherapy. This synergistic strategy allows for the controlled generation of high heat at the wound site. In vivo studies using an infected wound model demonstrated that the CG/BZC sponge significantly promotes tissue regeneration and accelerates wound healing. This study provides a promising and versatile approach for designing smart responsive dressings for advanced wound care.