Fabrication of Chondroitin Sulfate-Copper/Zinc Complexes and Antibacterial Activity Involving Hydrogel Application in Infected Wound Healing.
Shen Qingshan Q, Wu Jiarui J, Li Jiawen J, Dong Yujie Y et al.
The escalating prevalence of bacterial infections has intensified the search for innovative antimicrobial strategies, particularly for infected wound management. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan with established biocompatibility, presents an attractive scaffold for developing metal ion-functionalized biomaterials. This study reports the fabrication of chondroitin sulfate-copper complex (CSCu) and chondroitin sulfate-zinc complex (CSZn) through an ion exchange method, wherein Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions bind to the groups of carboxylate, sulfate, or N-acetyl from the CS backbone. The resulting complexes exhibited copper or zinc loading capacities of about 6.6% and demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. The integration of CSCu or CSZn with sodium alginate yielded a hydrogel system with a higher apparent viscosity, possessing injectability and spreadability on the skin surface and a porous three-dimensional internal structure conducive to wound healing applications. In a murine model of S. aureus-infected full-thickness wounds, topical application of CSCu and CSZn hydrogels substantially accelerated wound closure, achieving 97.46% and 98.11% healing, respectively, by day 10. Additionally, treatment with CSCu or CSZn hydrogels significantly attenuated systemic inflammatory responses, as reflected in lowered serum TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 alongside increased IL-10. Histological evaluation confirmed enhanced re-epithelialization and stratum spinosum formation in treated wounds. These findings establish CSCu and CSZn as a promising bioactive agent for addressing bacterial wound infections through a dual mechanism of direct antibacterial action and immunomodulatory effects, offering a valuable alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.