Phosphate-responsive nanocomposite hydrogel laden with umbilical cord blood exosomes and nanosilver accelerates diabetic and infectious wound healing

Abstract

Chronic non-healing wounds are a significant global health challenge, particularly for individuals with diabetes, requiring advanced therapeutic strategies. This study focuses on the development and assessment of phosphate-responsive hydrogel designed for the release of nanosilver and umbilical cord blood exosomes (UCB-exos), to promote wound closure in diabetics, as well as tissue regeneration. The findings indicate that UCB-exos effectively promotes skin fibroblast proliferation and migration and maintains endothelial angiogenic activity in hyperglycemic conditions. By modulating the cell cycle signaling pathway, UCB-exos improve the biological functions of endothelial cells in a hyperglycemic environment. Exosomes were incorporated into a nanosilver hydrogel to evaluate their potential for promoting diabetic wound healing in vivo . The hydrogel not only promoted collagen deposition and angiogenesis but also demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, thereby expediting the wound healing process. This study illustrates that the phosphate-responsive nanocomposite hydrogel, incorporating UCB-exos and nanosilver, effectively enhances the healing of diabetic and infectious wounds. It has therapeutic potential in treating diabetic wounds and highlights the promising application of such composite hydrogels for managing chronic, non-healing diabetic wounds.