Bio-inspired hydrogel-based bandage with robust adhesive and antibacterial abilities for skin closure

Sci China Mater. 2022;65(1):246-254. doi: 10.1007/s40843-021-1724-8. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Abstract

Although conventional suturing techniques are commonly used in assisting wound closure, they do pose limited conduciveness and may lead to secondary injury to wound tissues. Inspired by marine organism mussels, we designed and manufactured a bio-inspired hydrogel-based bandage with tough wet tissue adhesion to substitute traditional surgical suture, accelerate wound healing and avoid infection. Poly(γ-glutamic acid) was modified with 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and glycidyl methacylate, then introduced into the acrylic acid-co-acrylamide hydrogel matrix with robust mechanical properties. The hydrogel bandage showed strong chemical linkage adhesion (70 ± 2.1 kPa), which is 2.8 times that of commercial tissue adhesive fibrin glue (25 ± 2.2 kPa). The hydrogel bandage can not only maintain the self-stability, but is also capable of self-tuning adhesive strength in the range of 14-70 kPa to achieve different adhesion effects by tuning constituent ratio. The bandage has desirable compression properties (0.7 ± 0.11 MPa) and tensile elongation (about 25 times), which ensures its resistance to damages, especially in joint spaces. Secondly, the bandage was endowed with antioxidant and endogenous broad-spectrum antibacterial properties with its catechol structure. Results also demonstrated excellent cell compatibility and blood compatibility, certifying its eligible biological safety profile. In a rat full-thickness cutaneous deficiency model, we can clearly observe that the bandage possesses the ability to promote wound healing (only need 6 days). Above all, this research provides a new strategy for the emergency treatment of liver hemostasis and myocardial repair during disaster rescue.

Supplementary information: Experimental details and supporting data are available in the online version of the paper10.1007/s40843-021-1724-8.

传统的缝合技术易导致伤口组织继发性损伤, 不利于皮肤伤口愈合. 受海洋生物贻贝的启发, 我们设计并构筑了一种具有湿组织黏附性能的仿生水凝胶绷带, 以替代传统的外科缝线, 加速伤口愈合, 防止感染. 首先, 将3,4-二羟基苯丙氨酸和甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯改性的γ-聚谷氨酸引入到力学性能良好的丙烯酸酯水凝胶基质中, 构建具有优异压缩性能(0.7 ± 0.11 MPa)和拉伸强度(约25倍)的水凝胶绷带, 以规避其在肢体运动过程中(尤其是关节部位)受到损坏. 此外, 水凝胶绷带显示出良好的组织黏合性能(70 ± 2.1 kPa), 是市售组织黏合剂纤维蛋白胶的2.8倍(25 ± 2.2 kPa), 而且还可以通过调整水凝胶成分的组成, 使其黏附性能在14–70 kPa的范围内可调. 其次, 由于体系中邻苯二酚基团的存在, 使水凝胶绷带兼具优异的抗氧化和内源广谱抗菌性能. 结果还显示水凝胶具有良好的生物安全性, 以及优异的促伤口愈合能力(仅6天),有望为灾后救援工作中的创伤紧急止血提供新的治疗策略.

Keywords: adhesion; antibacterial; antioxidant; hydrogel-based bandage; skin closure.