Microenvironment-feedback regulated hydrogels as living wound healing materials

Yibo Cheng, Yanwen Wang, Yunyi Wang, Poh-Ching Tan (), Shiyun Yu, Chi Li, Zi-Yuan Li, Qing-Feng Li, Shuang-Bai Zhou (), Chen Wang (), Junji Zhang () and He Tian
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Yibo Cheng: East China University of Science and Technology
Yanwen Wang: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Yunyi Wang: East China Normal University
Poh-Ching Tan: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Shiyun Yu: East China University of Science and Technology
Chi Li: East China Normal University
Zi-Yuan Li: East China University of Science and Technology
Qing-Feng Li: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Shuang-Bai Zhou: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Chen Wang: East China Normal University
Junji Zhang: East China University of Science and Technology
He Tian: East China University of Science and Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Physiological microenvironments present a time-dependent variation during pathogenic or therapeutic processes, which call for life-like biomaterials of dynamic adaptation. However, current prevailed biomaterials maintain a passively responsive mode and lack autonomous and interactive dynamics. Striving for a paradigm of microenvironment interactive and self-regulatory medical agents as next-generation of biomaterials is of desperate need. Herein, we develop a microenvironment-feedback hydrogel as a living dressing biomaterial catering diabetic chronic wounds. This dynamic hydrogel leverages the initial alkaline pH of the wound bed as fuel and employs biocatalytic acid generation as the anti-fuel. By coupling this feedback loop to pH-regulated imine crosslinks, the hydrogel facilitates adaptive sol-gel cycling with programmable glucose oxidase (GOx) release in a Type-I diabetic mouse model. Thus, homeostatic wound pH and blood glucose levels are achieved, favoring accelerated in vivo wound healing and tissue repair.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60858-3

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