Feather-inspired janus interfaces with spatiotemporal ionic programming for diabetic wound infection control and regenerative healing.
Chaoyang Huang, Lianglong Chen, Huihui Zhang, Bo Liu, Hai Zhou, Yanqi Chen, Xian Li, Xiaoyang Liu, Limin Zhao, Xue Wang, Min Wu, Shuaijie Li, Dan Yi, Chunyu Liu, Haobo Pan
Abstract
Open AccessRecalcitrant wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), pose a significant challenge to current therapeutic options due to persistent exudate, high infection risk, and a complex pathological microenvironment. This necessitates a novel dressing that can simultaneously provide both a physical barrier and active biological intervention. Inspired by the feathers of waterfowl, we developed a hierarchically engineered Janus dressing (PPT@PG-BG) via electrospinning, which integrates a hydrophobic antibacterial outer layer with a hydrophilic inner layer for the spatiotemporally controlled release of therapeutic ions (Mg2+, Zn2+, and Ce3+). This "external defense and internal regulation" strategy effectively re-establishes immune-angiogenic homeostasis by activating the p-ERK/Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, promoting M2 macrophage polarization, and enhancing neovascularization, ultimately achieving accelerated wound healing (97.85 % closure) in a diabetic infected wound model. In summary, this Janus dressing, which combines a simple fabrication process with integrated physical protection and multi-ion synergistic biotherapy, provides an effective strategy with significant clinical translation potential for treating complex, hard-to-heal wounds and promises to substantially improve patient outcomes.