The growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional
antibiotics
promotes the development of new antimicrobial agents, including peptides.
Hydrogels composed of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may be applied
as topical treatments for skin infection and wound regeneration. The
unique antimicrobial and ultrashort-peptide FKF (Phe-Lys-Phe) was
recently demonstrated to form bactericidal hydrogels. Here, we sought
to improve the cyto-biocompatibility of FKF by combining FKF hydrogels
with gelatin. Homogeneous hybrid hydrogels of FKF:gelatin were developed
based on a series of self-assembly steps that involved mixing solutions
of the two components with no covalent cross-linkers. The hydrogels
were characterized for their structural features, dissolution, cyto-biocompatibility,
and antibacterial properties. These hybrid hydrogels first release
the antibacterial FKF assemblies, leaving the gelatinous fraction
of the hydrogel to serve as a scaffold for tissue regeneration. Sponges
of these hybrid hydrogels, obtained by lyophilization and rehydrated
prior to application, exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity compared
to the hydrogels’ formulations.
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