Wound Healing Correlates With Ascorbic Acid Depletion: A Carbon-Based "Monitor-and-Treat" Platform for In Vivo Dynamics Tracking and Antibacterial Therapy.

Abstract

Wound infection is characterized by dynamic fluctuations in biomolecule levels, a process whose molecular mechanisms are still not fully elucidated. Herein, we propose a molecular mechanism that elucidates the wound healing by in vivo ascorbic acid (AA) levels, using a carbon-based "monitor-and-treat" platform. The platform demonstrates significant antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus, high-performance AA detection in real-world samples, and AA monitoring in murine blood. Based on the monitoring, a dynamic correlation model between in vivo AA levels and wound healing stages is established. Leveraging the model, an AA-based molecular mechanism for wound healing is further established, which is thoroughly investigated from both biomedical and materials science perspectives. Based on these surveys, this work not only confirms that AA depletion serves as a critical indicator of wound healing, but more importantly, reveals that the dynamic depletion of AA itself directly accelerates antibacterial activity, as it initiates early-stage, ROS-mediated bacterial killing and consequent Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺-driven antibacterial model. Our study contributes novel insights into AA-related molecular mechanisms that govern wound healing.