Duo-nano exosome encapsulating hydrogel boosts wound healing across xenogenic and allogenic models.

Abstract

Chronic wounds, especially in diabetic patients, pose a significant clinical challenge due to impaired microvasculature and delayed healing. This study presents Exo-Q, a novel thermoresponsive hydrogel formed by co-gelation of engineered Q protein nanofibers with exosomes, a class of vesicular intercellular communication mediators. Exo-Q transitions from a gel to a viscoelastic solution at physiological temperature, enabling localized, topical delivery of exosomes with an initial burst release followed by sustained release. In a diabetic mouse wound model, Exo-Q effectively delivered human bone marrow multipotent stromal cell-derived exosomes directly to the wound bed, where they accumulated in endothelial cells of granulation tissue without detectable systemic distribution. Exosomes produced under stringent and replicable cell culture conditions consistently carried biomacromolecular cargo enriched for miRNAs with validated targets in angiogenesis-associated genes, indicative of their therapeutic potential. Topical application of Exo-Q resulted in extensive neovascularized granulation tissue, significantly accelerating wound closure to levels comparable to non-diabetic wounds. Importantly, the hydrogel's modular design maintained the functional integrity of Q protein nanofibers and exosomes, demonstrating compatibility with full-thickness human wounds. This platform allows for tailored customization to address critical stages of diabetic wound healing while ensuring efficacy at low dosages, potentially enabling patient-administered treatment. By leveraging advanced biomaterials, Exo-Q advances the therapeutic efficacy of exosome-based interventions for diabetic wounds, offering a localized, non-invasive solution to chronic, non-healing wounds. This innovative hydrogel platform represents a modular therapeutic strategy with significant potential for clinical applications in regenerative medicine.