A Multifunctional MXene@CeO₂-Enhanced Hydrogel Dressing for Synergistic Photothermal Antibacterial and Antioxidative Therapy in Wound Healing.

Abstract

Chronic wounds infected with drug-resistant bacteria present a formidable clinical challenge, exacerbated by antibiotic overuse that severely compromises healing. Herein, a multifunctional therapeutic hydrogel wound dressing is developed to address these challenges. This advanced nanocomposite hydrogel incorporates cerium dioxide-doped MXene nanosheets (MXene@CeO₂) within a glycidyl methacrylate-modified gelatin (GMA-Gelatin) matrix and crosslinked into a hydrogel under UV irradiation (GMAG-GEL), forming a near-infrared (NIR)-responsive material (MXene@CeO₂/GMAG-GEL). This incorporation enhances the mechanical strength of the hydrogel and creates a protective microenvironment for wound repair. In the acidic environment of bacterial infections, MXene@CeO₂/GMAG-GEL facilitates the electrostatic capture of bacteria. Synergizing with its photothermal capability, it exhibits exceptional antibacterial activity, effectively killing drug-resistant bacteria and disrupting bacterial biofilms. After eradicating the infection, MXene@CeO₂/GMAG-GEL further alleviates oxidative stress, promotes cell migration and angiogenesis, and induces macrophage polarization toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype. In vivo studies confirmed MXene@CeO₂/GMAG-GEL significantly accelerates wound closure and tissue regeneration. This work overcomes the key challenges of antibiotic resistance, persistent inflammation, and impaired tissue regeneration, presents a comprehensive therapeutic strategy for drug-resistant bacterial wound infections through a single multifunctional platform.