Animal/plant proteins (gelatin/gluten) composite sponge with adaptive wet mechanics for rapid hemostasis.

Abstract

Gelatin sponge is an established hemostatic dressing owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and safety. However, its rapid softening after blood absorption leads to poor wet-state structural stability, compromising its sustained wound sealing ability under physiological conditions. Herein, a series of gelatin-gluten composite sponges (Gel-Glu) were developed by incorporating the plant protein (wheat gluten) into an animal protein (gelatin) matrix. Gluten incorporation reconstructed the protein network and shifted the deformation mechanism from irreversible energy dissipation to coordinated energy dissipation and elastic energy storage, thereby enhancing fatigue resistance and shape-fixing capability while maintaining structural integrity after blood absorption. The optimized Gel-Glu sponge featured a shape fixity ratio of ~65% and recovered its original shape within 5 s upon water stimulation. Meanwhile, its highly interconnected porous structure accelerated blood transport, facilitated the enrichment of blood cells, and promoted erythrocyte adhesion, platelet activation, and clot formation. Consequently, the Gel-Glu sponge significantly enhanced blood coagulation in vitro and reduced blood loss in the rat liver injury model. The composite sponge possessed satisfactory cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and tunable biodegradability. Our findings reveal that integration of animal- and plant-derived proteins is a viable pathway toward structurally robust hemostatic sponges for rapid bleeding control.