Bioinspired Adhesive Hydrogel Platform with Photothermal Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Angiogenic Properties for Whole-Process Management of Diabetic Wounds

Diabetic wound healing remains a major challenge in modern medicine. The persistent inflammation and immune dysfunction hinder angiogenesis by producing excessive ROS and increasing the susceptibility to bacterial infection. In this study, we developed an integrated strategy for whole-process management of diabetic wounds based on a bioinspired adhesive hydrogel platform with hemostasis, photothermal antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic properties. A composite hydrogel (termed AQTGF) using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and quaternized chitosan (QCS) as the backbone materials and loaded with a TA-Gd/Fe-bimetallic-phenolic coordination polymer was prepared. The AQTGF hydrogel displayed favorable mechanical properties, self-healing capabilities, adhesion characteristics, and photothermal response performance. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the AQTGF hydrogel exhibits excellent photothermal antimicrobial capacity and antioxidant, angiogenic, and M2 macrophage phenotype polarizing properties. In addition, the rat tail amputation and liver hemostasis experiments demonstrated that the AQTGF hydrogel had excellent hemostasis performance. Moreover, in vivo studies have indicated that AQTGF hydrogel can facilitate diabetic wound healing by accelerating epidermal growth, promoting collagen deposition, modulating macrophage M2 polarization, inhibiting inflammation, and promoting angiogenesis. In conclusion, this study provides an adaptable hydrogel that holds promise for the treatment of chronic diabetic wounds.