A contractile-programmable sensor patch with antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties for infected wound management

Abstract

<p>Extensive acute wounds exhibit severely delayed re-epithelization due to the abnormal extracellular matrix remodeling, susceptibility to infection, dysregulated inflammatory response, and weakened skin contractions. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop a contractile patch with an adaptive sustained contractile force, potent antibacterial, inflammatory regulating, and sensing capabilities to monitor and accelerate wound healing. Current thermoresponsive hydrogel-based contractile dressings had critical limitations including inadequate contraction forces, rapid contraction process, mechanical instability, and lack of sensing ability. In this study, we address this gap by developing a strain-managing bilayer patch (SR@AM Gel) composed of a conductive silicone rubber (SR) and lignin-bimetallic ion-mediated polyacrylamide hydrogel (AM Gel). This bilayer architecture integrates tissue fluid triggered shape memory for programmed wound contraction, real-time multimodal sensing, and dual-mode antibacterial action, which eradicates 98.85% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within 30 min of sunlight-triggered photothermal/ion therapy. In vivo studies on MRSA infected full-thickness wounds show accelerated healing (95.6% closure by day 8), driven by wound contraction, rapid bacterial eradication, and immune regulation. Transcriptomic and immunohistochemical analyses further revealed SR@AM Gel's ability to promote muscle contraction, suppress pro-inflammatory pathways (e.g., TLR4, TNF-α), and enhance angiogenesis. This multifunctional platform presents a transformative approach for monitor and treatment of extensive infected wounds.</p>