Jul 2026· Journal of materials chemistry. B· Vol 14, pp. 9445-9459· 0 citations
Medicine
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.
This work demonstrates a safe and effective strategy for combating MDR infections through the combined action of photothermal therapy and nanozyme catalysis, offering promising potential for clinical wound management.
Weiwei Zhang, Lixiang Fan, Xuanjun Zhang et al.· ACS Applied Materials and In...· 0 citations
Infected burn wounds are characterized by bacterial invasion, oxidative stress, and persistent inflammation, which severely impair tissue regeneration. Herein, we report a crosslinker-free, hydrogen-bonded cationic guar gum hydrogel (CBBM) co-loaded with berberine (BBR) and MnO2-coated black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNS@MnO2) for the microenvironment-adaptive treatment of infected burn wounds. The dynamic guar gum network endowed the hydrogel with injectability, self-healing ability, and conformal adaptability. BPNS@MnO2 exhibited pH-dependent enzyme-like activities, including OXD-like antibacterial activity under acidic conditions and SOD-/CAT-like ROS-scavenging activity under near-neutral conditions and endowed the hydrogel with NIR-triggered photothermal responsiveness. Moreover, NIR irradiation further enhanced the antibacterial efficacy and moderately enhanced BBR release from the hydrogel. In vitro, CBBM combined with NIR irradiation achieved potent antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus and E. coli under the tested conditions and reduced intracellular ROS levels. In vivo, the CBBM + NIR treatment accelerated infected burn wound healing, achieving a wound closure rate of 97.53 ± 2.01% by day 14, accompanied by reduced inflammation, enhanced collagen deposition, and increased expression of the angiogenesis-related markers VEGF and CD31. These results demonstrate that the CBBM hydrogel is a promising multifunctional guar gum-based dressing for infected burn wound healing by integrating local drug delivery, catalytic regulation, and photothermal activation.
Ziyi Zhao, Yanxiang Sang, Benyan Zheng et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Chitosan/carbon nanotube (CS/CNT) nanocomposites have emerged as next-generation multifunctional drug delivery platforms by bridging the gap between material science and precision medicine. These systems combine the high surface area, tensile strength and photothermal conversion ability of carbon nanotubes with the biocompatibility, mucoadhesion and functional versatility of CS to provide a synergistic solution to long-standing limitations of conventional nanocarriers. Stimulus-responsive drug release, customized functionalization and scalable green synthesis are three important research areas that have advanced significantly in recent years. Novel covalent and non-covalent modifications with enhanced dispersion, prolonged circulation and enhanced therapeutic specificity include PEGylation, peptide targeting and metallic nanoparticle decoration. Creating multi-stimuli release systems that react to pH, enzymatic activity and near-infrared (NIR) radiation is a particularly exciting advancement that enables accurate spatiotemporal drug release profiles in infection and tumor microenvironments. We present a new Triple-Stimuli Release Model in this review that provides a computational experimental bridge to expedite preclinical validation while mathematically forecasting concurrent release kinetics. Applications of CS/CNT systems are highlighted in the fields of gene delivery, wound healing, oncology, antimicrobial therapy and regenerative medicine, with a focus on clinical bottlenecks and translational potential. We additionally assess how well molecular dynamics simulations and artificial intelligence (AI) combine to forecast toxicity, drug-carrier interactions and nanocomposite stability, suggesting that CS/CNT nanocomposites are promising candidates for AI-guided optimization pipelines. Finally, a progressive clinical translation roadmap is informed by a critical discussion of long term biosafety, GMP compliant manufacture, regulatory pathways and ethical considerations. This review emphasizes CS/CNT systems as key components for precision nanomedicine, theranostics and sustainable healthcare innovation that fuse experimental advances with computational vision.
H. Hashemi, Aref Zahiri Ghareh Mosa, Ketevan Tavamaishvili et al.· Discover Applied Sciences· 0 citations
Bacterial wound infections are among the most frequent infections acquired in healthcare settings. The widespread use and overuse of antibiotics have contributed to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Thus, it becomes essential to find alternative therapeutic strategies that can both accelerate wound healing and provide potent bactericidal effects. Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds of polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and vancomycin (Van) (Van-Ag-PAN/PCL), chitosan (Cs)/gelatin (Gel)/polyethylene oxide (PEO) containing bioactive glass nanoparticles (BG) and ciprofloxacin (Cip) (Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO) besides a bilayer nanofiber scaffold were fabricated and charachterized. Surface properties, antioxidant activity, and biocompatibility were evaluated using contact angle measurements, antioxidant assays, and hemolysis tests, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the fabricated nanofibers was assessed by MTT assay on the L929 fibroblast cell line. The antimicrobial effectiveness of the fabricated nanofibers against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated in vitro using disk diffusion methods, along with evaluations of biofilm formation inhibition and eradication capabilities. The results demonstrated that the electrospun Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO scaffold and bilayer scaffold significantly inhibited one-day biofilm formation of both bacterial strains compared to the control group. Regarding one-day biofilm removal, the Van-Ag-PAN/PCL, Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO and bilayer scaffolds exhibited high efficiency, achieving 66.3%, 68% and 69.3% eradication in MRSA and 34%, 69%, and 70% eradication in P. aeruginosa, respectively. The scaffolds were biocompatible and showed no cytotoxicity on L929 fibroblast cells. Their high antioxidant activity and lack of hemolysis confirm the strong potential of these materials for biotechnological applications. The study concludes that the fabricated nanofibers effectively inhibit bacterial biofilm formation by MRSA and P. aeruginosa. Their strong antibacterial properties suggest potential use in reducing hospital-acquired infections and in applications such as drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and wound dressings, due to their controlled and sustained release of bioactive compounds for improved therapeutic outcomes.
Raha Zare Shahraki, L. Shokoohizadeh, Mohammad Hossein Armand et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
Localized drug delivery using nanofiber-based systems enables precise and sustained release of chemotherapeutics at tumor sites. In this study, a novel pH-responsive core-shell nanofiber incorporating 5-FU@ZIF-8 was fabricated by o/w emulsion electrospinning using Zein/PVP and black seed oil. SEM analysis confirmed a uniform core-shell morphology (average diameter: 795 ± 16 nm). The 5-FU@ZIF-8-loaded nanofiber (5-FU@ZIF-8 NF) exhibited favorable surface hydrophilicity (39.0° ± 0.7°) and tensile strength (2.07 ± 0.1 MPa). In vitro results demonstrated high biocompatibility (∼90% L929 cell viability) and potent antitumor activity (∼70% CT-26 cytotoxicity), accompanied by increased ROS generation and reduced cell migration. Antibacterial evaluation revealed strong inhibitory activity of 5-FU@ZIF-8 NF against Staphylococcus aureus (55% inhibition), whereas free 5-FU exhibited greater activity against Escherichia coli. In vivo antitumor studies in CT-26 tumor-bearing mice showed a marked reduction in relative tumor volume (RTV ≈ 5 on day 18) and a tumor inhibition rate (TIR) of 70.0 ± 6.57%, with stable body weight and no histopathological abnormalities in liver and kidney tissues (H&E), indicating minimal systemic toxicity. This implantable system offers a precise, localized therapeutic approach with enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy.
Jasmin Kharazmi-Khorassani, Ahmad Asoodeh, Fatemeh Koohzad· International journal of pha...· 0 citations
A visible-light-responsive organic nanoplatform (iTPyPXs/SCM) that improves ROS utilization for antimicrobial therapy while limiting excessive intracellular ROS and provides a safer and more effective biomaterial strategy for photodynamic therapy in infected wound healing is developed.
Hongyu Lin, Qingyang Peng, Ying Lin et al.· Biomaterials· 0 citations