Multifunctional Single‐Component Polypeptide Hydrogels: The Gelation Mechanism, Superior Biocompatibility, High Performance Hemostasis, and Scarless Wound Healing

Abstract

Polymeric hydrogels have been increasingly studied for wound sealants, adhesives, hemostats, and dressings, however, multi‐component gelation, adhesion‐causing tissue damage, inefficient hemostasis, and skin scarring in wound healing hamper their advances. So it is urgent to develop multifunctional single‐component polymeric hydrogels with benign tissue detachment, high performance hemostasis, and scarless wound healing attributes. Herein, a dopamine‐modified poly(l‐glutamate) hydrogel at an ultralow concentration of 0.1 wt% is serendipitously constructed by physical treatments, in which a gelation mechanism is disclosed via oxidative catechol‐crosslinking and sequential dicatechol‐carboxyl hydrogen‐bonding interactions. The covalent/H‐bonding co‐crosslinked and highly negative‐charged networks enable the polypeptide hydrogels thermo‐, salt‐, urea‐resistant, self‐healing, injectable, and adhesive yet detachable. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate they have superior biocompatibility with ≈0.5% hemolysis and negligible inflammation. The polypeptide/graphene oxide hybrid hydrogel performs fast and efficient hemostasis of 12 s and 1.4% blood loss, surpassing some hydrogels and commercial counterparts. Remarkably, the polypeptide hydrogels achieve scarless and full wound healing and regenerate thick dermis with some embedded hair follicles within 14 days, presenting superior full‐thickness wound healing and skin scar‐preventing capabilities. This work provides a simple and practicable method to construct multifunctional polypeptide hemostatic and healing hydrogels that overcome some above‐mentioned hurdles.

A comprehensive review on the applications of carbon-based nanostructures in wound healing: from antibacterial aspects to cell growth stimulation

“…The use of materials that are biocompatible and non-toxic to living cells, together with the ability to reduce the wound healing time, has been considered by many researchers. 27 In numerous studies, various materials, especially nanomaterials, e.g., carbon-based nanostructures such as GO, rGO, CDs, CQDs, CNTs, CNFs, and NDs, because of their unique properties, have been used to synthesize appropriate wound dressings to control and heal wounds. 28 The important properties that wound dressings should possess include antibacterial activity, cell adhesion, non-cytotoxicity, anti-hemolytic activity, mechanical properties, and per-meability to oxygen, while having high absorption capacity and the ability maintain the humidity of the environment under the dressing 29 (Fig.…”

“…The use of materials that are biocompatible and non-toxic to living cells, together with the ability to reduce the wound healing time, has been considered by many researchers. 27 In numerous studies, various materials, especially nanomaterials, e.g. , carbon-based nanostructures such as GO, rGO, CDs, CQDs, CNTs, CNFs, and NDs, because of their unique properties, have been used to synthesize appropriate wound dressings to control and heal wounds.…”

Self-Healing Injectable Hydrogels for Tissue Regeneration

“…Noncovalent interactions are rather weak and might be sensitive to certain environmental factors (e.g., pH or ionic strength). Hence, several studies have combined multiple noncovalent interactions, typically involving electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonds, for the design of self-healing injectable hydrogels. − Among the various types of dynamic covalent interactions that have been combined with noncovalent cross-links ,− or with other dynamic covalent cross-links, significant research interest has been focused on the use of Schiff base reactions. Accordingly, imine bonds arising from these reactions have been combined with metal coordination interactions, − hydrogen bonds, and electrostatic interactions .…”

Editorial: Interfacial strategies to manipulate tissue interactions for wound healing

“…This article is expected to help researchers better understand the applications of bioadhesives and lead to related innovations.The first stage of wound healing is hemostasis. The rapid and effective hemostasis is of great importance to improve the quality of wound healing and lifesaving (Bai et al, 2022). In "Hydrogel-Based Biomaterials Engineered from Natural-Derived Polysaccharides and Proteins for Hemostasis and Wound Healing", Cheng et al summarized the hydrogel-…”

“…The first stage of wound healing is hemostasis. The rapid and effective hemostasis is of great importance to improve the quality of wound healing and lifesaving ( Bai et al, 2022 ). In “ Hydrogel-Based Biomaterials Engineered from Natural-Derived Polysaccharides and Proteins for Hemostasis and Wound Healing ”, Cheng et al summarized the hydrogel-based biomaterials, engineered from natural polysaccharides and proteins, for hemostasis.…”