Injectable conductive and angiogenic hydrogels for chronic diabetic wound treatment

Chronic diabetic wounds are lack of angiogenesis and susceptible to bacterial infections due to their high sugar microenvironment, making them difficult to heal. Here, a conductive and intrinsically antibacterial hydrogel with pH responsiveness has been developed. This hydrogel has good mechanical properties, self-healing ability and biocompatibility, and can smartly release the pro-angiogenic drug, deferoxamine. Application of the hydrogel promotes the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells and enhances vascularization by upregulating the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor. The hydrogel dressing combined with electrical stimulation improves angiogenesis and significantly accelerates the healing of infected diabetic wounds, which would lead to a promising therapeutic strategy. Reversible covalent bonds are used to construct a conductive and antibacterial hydrogel and load angiogenic deferoxamine. The smartly released deferoxamine combined with electrical stimulation significantly accelerates chronic diabetic wound healing. [Display omitted] •An injectable hydrogel is designed with conductivity and angiogenic ability.•The dynamic reversible Schiff base bonds render the hydrogel injectable.•The hydrogel promotes angiogenesis by smart release of deferoxamine.•The hydrogel plus electrical stimulation accelerates chronic diabetic wound healing.