Enhancing diabetic wound healing: A two-pronged approach with ROS scavenging and ROS-independent antibacterial properties

The intricate microenvironment often hinders diabetic wounds from following a normal healing process, marked by prolonged low-grade inflammation, thereby slowing or stalling wound healing. Nanomedicine stands as a pivotal branch in the evolution of therapeutic strategies, yet grapples with inherent conflicting traits – the ROS-dependent antibacterial properties of most materials and the anti-inflammatory ROS-scavenging capabilities. This study introduces a multifunctional MOF-199/GO nanocomposite designed to promote diabetic wound healing by its robust ROS scavenging capacity, ROS-independent antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties, and the ability to modulate wound microenvironments. In a skin wound model on type I diabetes rats, the addition of MOF-199/GO efficiently orchestrates the healing process into the defined phases of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, achieving a remarkable 96 % wound closure by day 10. When employed as a drug, MOF-199/GO exhibits minimal biological toxicity in vivo. Moreover, when combined with various dressing materials, the drug’s performance remains unchanged, indicating its practical application value.