The management of chronic diabetic wounds is a complex issue that requires wound repair, regulation of inflammatory levels, and intervention to prevent bacterial infection. To address this issue, we developed a multifunctional photothermally responsive hydrogel (PAG-CuS) as an effective platform for managing the entire wound-healing process, including promoting wound healing, providing anti-inflammatory therapy, and performing photothermal sterilization. Constructed through copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA), methacrylic anhydride-modified gelatin (GelMA), and lipoic acid sodium (LAS) coated copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS@LAS), PAG-CuS possessed a porous three-dimensional structure that promoted cell adhesion and had a substantial water-holding capacity. Additionally, the internal CuS@LAS not only conferred photothermal antibacterial properties to the hydrogel but also served as physical cross-linking agents, thus enhancing its mechanical strength. Under the NIR-induced photothermal effect, the porous hydrogel liberates CuS@LAS, and later CuS@LAS expels LAS via micelle deassembly to eliminate intracellular ROS. This results in the down-regulation of MMP-9 expression, promoting ECM production and facilitating wound healing. Meanwhile, the release of Cu²⁺ from PAG-CuS could enhance CD31 expression in endothelial cells, promoting microvessel formation, which is crucial for wound healing. In the diabetic wound model of GK rats, the PAG-CuS hydrogel reduced ROS levels, increased microvessel count, improved epithelialization, and enhanced wound healing. Therefore, this versatile photothermal hydrogel has the potential to be applied in sterilization, scavenging free radicals, and promoting angiogenesis, making it an effective and comprehensive solution to manage the challenges of diabetic wounds.

Statement of significance

Assessment of functional recovery and timely adjustment of treatment strategy is critical in the management of chronic diabetic wounds. In this work, we prepared PAG-CuS composite hydrogels by integrating in situ reduction, chemical crosslinking, and nanoenhancement techniques. The near-infrared light-induced photothermal effect of PAG-CuS gel rapidly kills bacteria at the lesion site, and the generated heat simultaneously promotes the multilevel release of LAS from the gel, which could regulate the levels of ROS and MMP-9 to promote extracellular matrix formation. In addition, the Cu²⁺ released from the gel can promote the formation of blood vessels to improve blood oxygenation. Therefore, this project proposes a synergistic solution to realize the whole process of management to accelerate chronic diabetic wound healing.