Chronic wounds are complex environments marked by persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, and conditions that favor antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Conventional antibiotics often fail due to bacterial persistence and the physicochemical barriers of the wound milieu. Biofilm-associated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), efflux pump activity, quorum sensing (QS), and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) collectively drive antimicrobial tolerance and resistance dissemination, turning chronic wounds into reservoirs of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Consequently, emerging wound therapies demand multifunctional strategies that modulate the wound microenvironment while interfering with resistance-associated phenotypes. Hydrogel–metal–organic framework (MOF) composites have been explored as multifunctional interfaces that combine extracellular matrix-mimetic properties, tunable porosity, stimuli-responsiveness, and controlled therapeutic delivery with the bioactive functions of MOFs. Depending on their composition and architecture, these systems may exert antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects through ionic, electrostatic, osmotic, catalytic, and oxidative mechanisms, while also influencing ROS levels, inflammation, angiogenesis, and local drug transport. However, antimicrobial activity alone does not equate to resistance modulation. Evidence for direct effects on efflux systems, resistance phenotypes, or HGT remains inconsistent across reported platforms. This review critically examines representative hydrogel–MOF systems for chronic wound applications, comparing their composition, physicochemical properties, biological functions, proposed resistance-related mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and current level of evidence. We emphasize distinguishing experimentally demonstrated resistance-modulating effects from mechanistically proposed functions, and identifying design trade-offs and evidence gaps that must be addressed to develop wound interfaces capable of both supporting tissue regeneration and improving infection control.
Nallely G. Hernández-Hernández, Irving A. González-Lara, L. K. Usme-Duque et al.· Gels· 0 citations
The behavior of insulin encapsulation within collagen-based hydrogels was investigated to explore their potential for biomedical applications. Incorporating insulin into the hydrogel matrix significantly influenced both structural and functional properties. Increasing the insulin content up to 60 µg per gel accelerated the gelation process and enhanced the swelling capacity, reaching values of up to 3800%. However, optimal crosslinking was observed at lower insulin content (15 µg), suggesting the formation of stabilizing urea-type interactions during simultaneous crosslinking with a bioactive polyurethane component. Morphological analysis revealed that insulin incorporation led to smoother and less porous surfaces, indicating a more compact network structure. Mechanically, insulin-loaded hydrogels exhibited improved resistance, sustaining deformation up to 18% under 3.2 million fatigue cycles, highlighting their durability under repetitive stress conditions. Higher insulin concentrations (30–60 µg) promoted a superabsorbent behavior, with swelling values ranging from 3500% to 5600%, strongly dependent on pH conditions and notably enhanced at skin-relevant pH. In addition, the presence of insulin improved resistance to both hydrolytic degradation and enzymatic biodegradation in the presence of pepsin, with the highest stability observed at 60 µg. The materials demonstrated good hemocompatibility and showed controlled surface erosion upon exposure to simulated body fluids. Interestingly, hydroxyapatite deposition was detected through Alizarin Red staining, with a qualitative increase at higher insulin contents, suggesting potential bioactivity toward mineralization processes. Overall, these findings highlight the multifunctional role of insulin beyond its therapeutic activity, acting as a structural and bioactive modulator in collagen-based hydrogels, opening new opportunities for advanced biomedical applications.
Imelda G Contreras-Aguero, Lesly Katleya Usme-Duque, D. A. Cabrera-Munguia et al.· Asian Journal of Basic Scien...· 0 citations
This review critically analyzes the structure–function engineering principles governing hydrogel–MOF hybrid systems and examines how established regenerative functions may be integrated with emerging antiviral biointerface concepts.
Irving A. González-Lara, Nallely G. Hernández-Hernández, L. K. Usme-Duque et al.· Gels· 0 citations
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