Seta-Inspired Mechano-Intelligent Janus Bandage with Coordinated Adhesion-Contraction for Minimizing Scarring.

Abstract

While advances have been made in mechano-active and gecko-inspired wound dressings, achieving dynamically coordinated adhesion-contraction coupling within a single-material, stimulus-free system with quantitatively programmable contractile output remains an unmet challenge. Here, we engineer bioinspired mechano-intelligent Janus bandages (MIBs) with dynamically coordinated adhesion-contraction for effective wound healing. The MIBs are fabricated through micromolding of poly(lactide-co-propylene glycol-co-lactide) dimethacrylates (PmLnD), featuring an interior surface with a gecko-mimicking wedged structure. Upon application, the MIBs recapitulate the gecko locomotion principle to achieve precise control of contractile forces with dynamically coordinated adhesion-contraction. The simply pre-strained MIB can precisely program its intrinsic contractile force, while adhesion strength proportionally responds to the contractile force through enhanced van der Waals interactions and interfacial friction. This coordinated mechanism promotes healing in rat and porcine full-thickness skin defect models by accelerating re-epithelialization and enhancing angiogenesis. Mechanistically, the MIBs reduce focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression, thereby regulating downstream pathways related to wound healing progression, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Wnt, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathways, enabling scar-attenuated wound healing. We envision that this Janus design, which integrates strain-programmable contraction with reversible gecko-inspired adhesion, offers a useful addition to current mechanobiological strategies for wound management and soft tissue repair.