Optimized Electrical Stimulation Using a Spray-Printed Conductive Electroceutical Patch for Accelerated Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice.

Abstract

Impaired wound healing in diabetic patients, driven by sustained inflammation and vascular dysfunction, often leads to chronic wounds and serious complications. Transitioning the wound environment from pro-inflammatory to regenerative states requires precise modulation of macrophages and supporting cell activities. Although electrical stimulation (ES) has been highlighted as a novel approach to modulate inflammatory reactions and treat chronic wounds, conventional electroceuticals face translational hurdles due to undefined optimal parameters and technical limitations of ES devices. In this study, we screened and identified key ES parameters that attenuate prolonged inflammation and promote a regenerative immune environment for chronic wound treatment. To enable successful translation of optimized ES conditions, we fabricated a spray-printed conductive ink-based electroceutical (SCOPE) patch composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and liquid metal (LM), enabling highly conductive, stable ES delivery at dynamic wound sites. In an animal study using a diabetic mouse wound model, application of the electroceutical patch suppressed local inflammation and enhanced tissue regeneration through re-epithelialization and neovascularization. Collectively, our functional and mechanistic investigations of ES conditions, together with their implementation via an electroceutical patch, suggest an effective therapeutic platform for modulating immune responses and promoting wound healing under chronic inflammatory conditions.