Trojan-horse mineralization of trigger factor to impregnate non-woven alginate fabrics for enhanced hemostatic efficacy

Abstract

Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains a leading cause of mortality after trauma. This work describes a facile mineralization strategy for enhancing hemostatic efficacy of alginate non-woven fabrics, involving the precipitation of amorphous CaCO3 induced by alginate fibers, along with Trojan-horse-like tissue factor (TF) encapsulation. The amorphous CaCO3 served as a transient carrier, capable of releasing Ca2+ and TF upon contact with blood. Coagulation test and rat tail cut and hemorrhaging liver models all revealed superior hemostatic capability of mineralized TF-in-alginate fabrics compared to bare fabrics, solely mineralized form, or commercial zeolite-modified gauze, benefiting from the combined hemostatic properties of alginate matrix and released Ca2+ and TF. Meanwhile, comprehensive biocompatibility and mechanical stability evaluations demonstrate the ternary composite's good biosafety. These results along with the extension study with chitosan- and cellulose-based dressings underline the great potential and versatility of polysaccharide-hemostat-mediated CaCO3 mineralization with TF integration for achieving rapid hemorrhage control.