LAUSR

Abstract Currently, wound infection is an important health problem for the public. Wound infection can not only hinder healing but it can also lead to serious complications. Injectable wound dressings with biocompatible and antibacterial properties can promote wound healing during skin infections and reduce antibiotic use. Here, we used glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) to modify ε-polylysine (ε-PL) and γ-poly(glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) to produce ε-polylysine-glycidyl methacrylate (ε-PL-GMA) and γ-poly(glutamic acid)-glycidyl methacrylate (γ-PGA-GMA). Subsequently, ε-PL-GMA- and γ-PGA-GMA-based hydrogels were developed through photopolymerization using visible light. The hydrogels were injectable, could rapidly gelatinize, were biocompatible, and showed a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity. The hydrogels also promoted wound healing. The results show that these hydrogels inhibit bacterial infection and shorten the wound healing time of skin defects in Staphylococcus aureus models. This demonstrates that the hydrogels hold potential for clinical antimicrobial and wound healing therapy. A biocompatible material with natural resistance to E. coli and Staphylococcus bacteria shows promise for healing damaged skin. Hydrogels that trap water molecules inside three-dimensional polymer networks have recently been used to keep skin wounds hydrated during recuperation. Zhiyong Qian from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, and colleagues have now developed a hydrogel based on polylysine, a peptide complex with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Using mice with skin wounds infected with Staphylococcus , the team injected aqueous polysine precursors directly into the wound surface. The injuries were then exposed to visible light to polymerize the peptides into a hydrogel. Experiments demonstrated that hydrogel-containing wounds completely closed over after 12 days, while untreated injuries remained open. The antibacterial hydrogel even stimulated growth of new tissue including hair follicles. In this study, we designed an injectable antibacterial hydrogel that was photopolymerized by visible light for the treatment of skin infections. The hydrogel consists of γ-poly(glutamic acid)-glycidyl methacrylate (γ-PGA-GMA) and ε-polylysine-glycidyl methacrylate (ε-PL-GMA). The hydrogels showed the characteristics of injectable and rapid gels, and were easy to use. Importantly, the hydrogels demonstrated high levels of antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. In in vivo infection models, the hydrogels reduced inflammation, promoted wound healing, and shortened the healing time. This highlights the hydrogels as promising candidates for anti-infection and wound healing.