The clinical management of chronic wounds is frequently challenged by bacterial infection and biofilm formation. To address this, we developed an injectable hydrogel, denoted as AMCS@ODex, via dynamic Schiff base bonding between amide-modified chitosan(AMCS)and oxidized dextran(ODex). This crosslinking strategy not only mitigated the inherent limitations of chitosan, such as poor solubility and mechanical properties, but also endowed the hydrogel with excellent shear-thinning behaviors. AMCS@ODex exhibited antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli (E. coli)and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), and the antibacterial rates against E. coli and MRSA were 58% and 73%, respectively. Furthermore, it effectively disrupted pre-formed MRSA biofilms, leading to a disruption rate approximately 50%. Critically, the hydrogel exhibited outstanding biocompatibility, supporting over 90% viability of L929 fibroblast cells. By integrating good antibacterial performance, with desirable mechanical properties and high biocompatibility, the AMCS@ODex hydrogel presents potential biomedical applications, particularly in the fight against bacterial infections.
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Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China(81861138040)
Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai City of China(20ZR1401800)
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