Enhancing diabetic wound healing with a pH/glucose dual-responsive hydrogel for ROS clearance and antibacterial activity

Currently, the treatment of diabetic wounds in clinical practice is still unsatisfactory due to the risks of oxidative damage and bacterial infection during the healing process. An optimal wound dressing should exhibit robust capabilities in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and combatting bacterial growth. In this study, we utilized borax as a crosslinker and prepared a pH/glucose dual-responsive composite hydrogel based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), sodium alginate (SA), and tannic acid (TA). This hydrogel, loaded with cerium dioxide, serves as an effective ROS scavenger, promoting wound closure by reducing the level of ROS in the wound area. Additionally, the hydrogel can release the antibacterial drug ofloxacin in response to the low pH and high glucose microenvironment in infected wounds. Results from skin defect model in diabetic mice demonstrated this ROS-scavenging and antibacterial hydrogel can suppress inflammation and accelerate wound healing. In summary, our work provides a new perspective on a local and stimulus-responsive drug delivery strategy for treating diabetic wounds.