Smart Nanofibrous Hydrogel Wound Dressings for Dynamic Infection Diagnosis and Control: Soft but Functionally Rigid

Chronic wounds, such as burns and diabetic foot ulcers, pose significant challenges to global healthcare systems due to prolonged hospitalization and increased costs attributed to susceptibility to bacterial infections. The conventional use of antibiotic-loaded and metal-impregnated dressings exacerbates concerns related to multidrug resistance and skin argyrosis. In response to these challenges, our research introduces a unique approach utilizing antibiotic-free smart hydrogel wound dressings with integrated infection eradication and diagnostic capabilities. Electrospinning stands out as a method capable of producing hydrogel nanofibrous materials possessing favorable characteristics for treating wounds and detecting infections under conditions utilizing sustainable materials. In this study, innovative dressings are fabricated through electrospinning polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (GEL) hybrid hydrogel nanofibers, incorporating pDA as a cross-linker, εPL as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, and anthocyanin as a pH-responsive probe. The developed dressings demonstrate exceptional antioxidant (>90% radical scavenging) and antimicrobial properties (95–100% killing). The inclusion of polyphenols/flavonoids and εPL leads to absolute bacterial eradication, and in vitro assessments using HaCaT cells indicate increased cell proliferation, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and enhanced cell viability (100% Cell viability). The dressings display notable alterations in color that correspond to different wound conditions. Specifically, they exhibit a red/violet hue under healthy wound conditions (pH 4–6.5) and a green/blue color under unhealthy wound conditions (pH > 6.5). These distinctive color changes provide valuable insights into the versatile applications of the dressings in the care and management of wounds. Our findings suggest that these antibiotic-free smart hydrogel wound dressings hold promise as an effective and sustainable solution for chronic wounds, providing simultaneous infection control and diagnostic monitoring. This research contributes to advancing the field of wound care, offering a potential paradigm shift in the development of next-generation wound dressings.