Development and characterization of novel smart albumin-based hydrogel for the treatment of infected burns

abstrakt

angličtina

Infected burn wounds present a major challenge in regenerative medicine due to prolonged healing, pain, and the risk of complications such as sepsis. With the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, there is an increasing need for antibacterial nanoparticles and advanced materials that can deliver antibacterial nanoparticles directly to the wound site. However, pH-responsive delivery systems specifically designed for the alkaline conditions of infected wounds are still underexplored. This study introduces a smart, biocompatible albumin-based hydrogel designed to address these challenges. The hydrogel responds to the elevated pH typical of infected wounds, triggering rapid swelling, which is expected to lead to controlled release of antibacterial nanoparticles. Hydrogel is prepared from bovine serum albumin in combination with glycerol, urea, or both. These additives improve gelation, stability, and mechanical properties of hydrogel. Gelation, based on carbodiimide crosslinking, was observed to occur within 8 minutes for samples without urea and around 30 minutes for those containing urea. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that glycerol-containing materials were stiffer, while those with urea were softer. Samples containing urea exhibited greater transparency. Swelling and degradation kinetics were evaluated using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in real time, under varying pH and temperature conditions that mimic the wound environment. These findings highlight the potential of this albumin-based hydrogel as a responsive, pH-sensitive solution for the treatment of infected burn wounds, providing an innovative approach to wound care amidst the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

albumin, hydrogel, pH-sensitive, smart

POLÁKOVÁ, V.; PŘIBYL, J.; OBOŘILOVÁ, R.; VRANA, Š.; VOJTOVÁ, L.; FOHLEROVÁ, Z.

21. 10. 2024

Telč, Czechia

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