A multimodal antimicrobial platform based on MXene for treatment of wound infection

Abstract

Featured with a three-dimensional network structure, electrostatic spinning nanofibrous membranes can maintain the hygroscopic balance in the wound place and promote the wound healing, thus have been extensively studied as a promising wound healing dressing. In this study, amoxicillin (AMX), MXene, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were mixed and electrospun into an antibacterial nanofibrous membrane (MXene-AMX-PVA nanofibrous membrane). In the composite nanofibrous membrane, the PVA matrix could control the release of AMX to combat bacterial infection, while the MXene could transform the near-infrared laser into heat, leading to local hyperthermia to promote the AMX release. Meanwhile, the local hyperthermia could also destroy the noncellular components of bacteria and synergistically cause the bacterial inactivation. The bacteriostatic activity and wound healing ability of the composite nanofibrous membrane were systematically verified on the S. aureus in vitro and the S. aureus-infected mouse skin defect model in vivo. This membrane not only functioned as a physical barrier to co-load the AMX and MXene, but also exhibited the high antibacterial and accelerated wound healing capacity, which will advance the design of novel wound healing dressings and antibacterial strategies.

Keywords: Antibacterial; MXene; Nanofibrous membrane; Photothermal; Wound healing.