Phenolic Ligand–Metal Charge Transfer Induced Copper Nanozyme with Reactive Oxygen Species-Scavenging Ability for Chronic Wound Healing

Chronic wounds frequently arise as a complication in diabetic patients, and their management remains a significant clinical hurdle due to their nonhealing nature featured by heightened oxidative stress and impaired healing cells at the wound site. Herein, we present a 2D copper antioxidant nanozyme induced by phenolic ligand-metal charge transfer (LMCT) to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and facilitate the healing of chronic diabetic wounds. We found that polyphenol ligands coordinated on the Cu₃(PO₄)₂ nanosheets led to a strong charge transfer at the interface and regulated the valence states of Cu. The obtained Cu nanozyme exhibited efficient scavenging ability toward different oxidative species and protected human cells from oxidative damage. The nanozyme enhanced the healing of diabetic wounds by promoting re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and immunoregulation. This work demonstrates the LMCT-induced ROS scavenging ability on a nanointerface, providing an alternative strategy of constructing metal-based nanozymes for the treatment of diabetic wounds as well as other diseases.