ROS-degradable PEG-based wound dressing films with drug release and antibacterial properties

Abstract

The management of burn wounds remains a challenge in clinical practice. The need for constant dressing changes results in painful treatments that can be minimized by the use of modern dressings. The ability of the dressing to respond to an external stimulus can be considered a major advantage. This responsiveness allows the material to change its physical properties to release molecules that can aid the healing process or be easily removed from the tissue. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is a common component of these systems due to its biocompatibility and low toxicity. Due to its versatility, PEG can also be used to easily prepare polyurethane-urea (PUU) films. In this work, innovative PUU films degradable by reactive oxygen species (ROS) were prepared. These films were prepared from PEG with different molecular weights (1–20 kDa) modified with a ROS-responsive telechelic β-aminoacrylate bond. The hydrogel films showed interesting mechanical and thermal properties, good water uptake (up to 225 %), and low cytotoxicity. The mechanical properties were able to be tuned by changing the molecular weight of the PEG precursors, with Young’s modulus ranging from 16 to 2.5 MPa. More importantly, the hydrogel films were degradable by a ROS-mediated cleavage process with visible light, as indicated by the loss of mechanical properties. In addition, the films were found to be capable of being loaded with a drug - silver sulfadiazine (AgSD), leading to the development of materials with antibacterial activity. Therefore, this work provides a promising strategy for the development of an innovative wound dressing that can be used for the treatment of burn wounds.