Thermosensitive, injectable, antibacterial glabridin liposome/chitosan dual network hydrogel for diabetic wound healing

Thermosensitive hydrogels show great potential in healing diabetic wounds, but they are still challenged by the long healing time, risk of infectivity, and accumulation of melanin. Herein, a dual network hydrogel is designed, which consists of chlorogenic acid (CA) modified chitosan (CS) (CA@CS), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), and glabridin liposomes (GL). The gelation transition temperature of the hydrogel is 32–34 °C, which thus endows it with superior injectability at ambient temperature. Moreover, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS also exhibits excellent biocompatibility, and can promote the growth of epidermal cells, and the healing of diabetic wounds. GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS can also control the immune reactions by enhancing the release of CD206, and decreasing the formation of CD86 and ROS, which further promotes the production of CD31 and VEGF, and reduces the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, thus aiding in the healing of diabetic wounds. Furthermore, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS can also suppress the growth bacterial, which can thus decrease the wound microbiota levels and facilitate the recovery of diabetic wounds. More importantly, it can reduce melanin production by 80 % due to the action of glabridin. Consequently, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS shows significant promise in enhancing the wound healing in future and decreasing the accumulation of melanin. •The transition temperature of the GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS hydrogel is between 32-34°C, which confers superior injectability at room temperature.•The GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS hydrogel promotes the growth of epidermal cells and accelerates the healing of diabetic wounds.•The GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS hydrogel modulates the expression of cytokines, and can reduce melanin production by 80% through the action of GL.•The GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS hydrogel inhibits the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa, with an inhibition rate of up to 94%.