N-halamine modified ceria nanoparticles: Antibacterial response and accelerated wound healing application via a 3D printed scaffold

Abstract

Antibacterial hydrogels are attracting extensive attention in soft tissue repair and regeneration. Herein, a novel three-dimensional (3D) printed dressing with prominent antibacterial activity and biocompatibility was fabricated based on gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) via a photocrosslinking technique. As the main antibacterial components, CeO2/N-halamine hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) were added to the matrix of carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC)/xanthan gum. The 3D printed structure shows excellent shape fidelity and mechanical performance, which considerably enhances the swelling efficiency and blood-clotting ability of the dressings. Furthermore, the introduction of CeO2/N-halamine NPs endow the dressings with efficient antibacterial effect, and 99.6% Staphylococcus aureus and 99.8% Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inactivated when the contact time is up to 30 min. Notably, the fabricated dressings showed outstanding biocompatibility. In vivo experiments indicated that they efficiently accelerated wound closure by promoting the regeneration of dermis and epidermis tissues. This novel 3D printed antibacterial hydrogel might find applications as multifunctional dressings for wound treatments.