Quaternized chitosan-Matrigel-polyacrylamide hydrogels as wound dressing for wound repair and regeneration

Abstract Hydrogels could be promising wound healing dressings that maintain a moist environment in the wound site and accelerate wound healing. However, the lack of antibacterial effect, suitable mechanical property and adhesiveness limits their applications. Here, we designed a quaternized chitosan-Matrigel-polyacrylamide (QCS-M-PAM) hydrogel with multi-functions. The morphology, swelling ratio, mechanical test, antimicrobial property, hemostatic performance and biocompatibility of the hybrid hydrogel were investigated in vitro and vivo. The hybrid hydrogel showed a three-dimensional (3D) microporous structure, high swelling ratio, excellent stretchable and compressive property, similar modulus to human skin, good adhesiveness, and low cytotoxicity. The results of histology and molecular testing in vivo demonstrated that the hybrid hydrogel could significantly enhance wound healing, collagen deposition, and induce skin adnexal regeneration by upregulating anti-inflammatory factors, and downregulating proinflammatory factors. Together, the present antibacterial hydrogels with hemostatic and adhesive properties are considered to have promising potential used as wound dressings for full-thickness skin defect.