Mussel-Inspired PEDOT-Incorporated Gelatin-Based Conductive Hydrogel with Flexibility and Electroactivity to Accelerate Wound Healing In Vitro

Abstract

Chronic wounds are associated with a metabolically imbalanced physiological microenvironment. However, conventional wound dressings are inadequate for treating chronic wounds due to their weak bioactivity. Electroactive wound dressings are essential for modulating a myriad of biological processes, particularly antioxidant activity and cell migration. Herein, we designed a conductive hydrogel with flexible, biodegradable, and electroactive properties using a mussel-inspired method. This conductive hydrogel was prepared by inducing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) in situ polymerization in the Hofmeister effect-assisted polydopamine-functionalized gelatin hydrogel (Gel-PDA/PEDOT). The hydrogel demonstrated robust mechanical properties with compressive and tensile strengths of 3.8 and 0.13 MPa, respectively, and a conductivity of 68.7 S/m. The addition of PDA and PEDOT to the Gel hydrogel endowed the hydrogel with exceptional antioxidant properties to maintain an intracellular redox balance. Additionally, the Gel-PDA/PEDOT hydrogel, which had favorable biocompatibility, significantly increased the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts due to its electroactive properties. A cell migration experiment was performed to assess whether the flexible and electroactive Gel-PDA/PEDOT hydrogel may be a promising wound dressing in skin wound regeneration. These findings provide a strategy for fabricating a multifunctional hydrogel with potential application in bioelectronics and wound dressings.

One-Step Physical and Chemical Dual-Reinforcement with Hydrophobic Drug Delivery in Gelatin Hydrogels for Antibacterial Wound Healing

“…Hydrogels, the most competitive materials for wound dressings, possess diverse advantages, such as porous network, soft nature, shape maintenance, superior hydrophilicity, and favorable biocompatibility. Among them, structures like an extracellular matrix (ECM) facilitate the broad application of hydrogels in wound healing. − In peculiar, hydrogels from naturally derived proteins are extensively used to fabricate tissue adhesives for their excellent coordination with the human body. − As a representative material of this glass of adhesives, gelatin is the irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen with a broad range of molecular weights depending on the denaturation method. In general, gelatin is soluble in warm water above 40 °C, but on cooling, thermoreversible transparent gels are normally formed accompanied by a partial regain of the collagen triple-helix structure.…”