Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars
Abstract Excessive scarring can impede the normal skin movement, resulting in decreased body flexibility and functional abnormalities. These issues, in turn, impact patients’ daily lives and comfort. To prevent the pathological healing of infected wounds, this study developed a composite hydrogel mi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-025-03534-4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849685910009937920 |
|---|---|
| author | Yifan Zhang Ziyi Zhou Na Liu Jing Wang Qingxia Guo Yong You Kaiping Mao Yuanfei Wang Weina Zhang Tong Wu |
| author_facet | Yifan Zhang Ziyi Zhou Na Liu Jing Wang Qingxia Guo Yong You Kaiping Mao Yuanfei Wang Weina Zhang Tong Wu |
| author_sort | Yifan Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Excessive scarring can impede the normal skin movement, resulting in decreased body flexibility and functional abnormalities. These issues, in turn, impact patients’ daily lives and comfort. To prevent the pathological healing of infected wounds, this study developed a composite hydrogel microneedle that possesses stable mechanical properties and favorable biocompatibility. The microneedles, composed of gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels, were integrated with curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles to promote wound healing and allow the controlled release of curcumin within a suitable timeframe, thereby minimizing the formation of hypertrophic scars. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were integrated into the base layer of the microneedle, forming a physical barrier and exhibiting significant antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Due to the unique structural and functional design, we demonstrated that this class of microneedles could accelerate the healing of infected wounds and downregulate the expression of α-SMA and collagen I in scar fibroblasts, thereby showing potential to inhibit scar formation. In vivo investigations further validated the effective repair of infected wounds in rat skin and demonstrated the inhibition of pathological scars using hypertrophic scar models in rabbit ears. Altogether, these materials exhibit promising potential to provide a new option for preventing pathological scarring in the treatment of infected wounds. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f8d0d13f08d74f4b8304e5a45bf1cba5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1477-3155 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| spelling | doaj-art-f8d0d13f08d74f4b8304e5a45bf1cba52025-08-20T03:22:54ZengBMCJournal of Nanobiotechnology1477-31552025-06-0123111810.1186/s12951-025-03534-4Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scarsYifan Zhang0Ziyi Zhou1Na Liu2Jing Wang3Qingxia Guo4Yong You5Kaiping Mao6Yuanfei Wang7Weina Zhang8Tong Wu9The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical UniversityThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityShandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-textiles of Shandong Province and the Ministry of Education, College of Textile & Clothing, Qingdao UniversityInstitute of Neuroregeneration & Neurorehabilitation, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao UniversityThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityQingdao Stomatological Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao UniversityThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao UniversityAbstract Excessive scarring can impede the normal skin movement, resulting in decreased body flexibility and functional abnormalities. These issues, in turn, impact patients’ daily lives and comfort. To prevent the pathological healing of infected wounds, this study developed a composite hydrogel microneedle that possesses stable mechanical properties and favorable biocompatibility. The microneedles, composed of gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels, were integrated with curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles to promote wound healing and allow the controlled release of curcumin within a suitable timeframe, thereby minimizing the formation of hypertrophic scars. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were integrated into the base layer of the microneedle, forming a physical barrier and exhibiting significant antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Due to the unique structural and functional design, we demonstrated that this class of microneedles could accelerate the healing of infected wounds and downregulate the expression of α-SMA and collagen I in scar fibroblasts, thereby showing potential to inhibit scar formation. In vivo investigations further validated the effective repair of infected wounds in rat skin and demonstrated the inhibition of pathological scars using hypertrophic scar models in rabbit ears. Altogether, these materials exhibit promising potential to provide a new option for preventing pathological scarring in the treatment of infected wounds.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-025-03534-4 |
| spellingShingle | Yifan Zhang Ziyi Zhou Na Liu Jing Wang Qingxia Guo Yong You Kaiping Mao Yuanfei Wang Weina Zhang Tong Wu Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| title | Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| title_full | Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| title_fullStr | Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| title_short | Curcumin-loaded PLGA microparticles integrated with ZnO/GelMA hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| title_sort | curcumin loaded plga microparticles integrated with zno gelma hydrogel microneedles for infectious wound healing and reduction of hypertrophic scars |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-025-03534-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yifanzhang curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT ziyizhou curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT naliu curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT jingwang curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT qingxiaguo curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT yongyou curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT kaipingmao curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT yuanfeiwang curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT weinazhang curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars AT tongwu curcuminloadedplgamicroparticlesintegratedwithznogelmahydrogelmicroneedlesforinfectiouswoundhealingandreductionofhypertrophicscars |