Light-Activated Gel Delivers Hydrogen Therapy to Speed Wound Healing
- Authors
- Ziyi Zhang, Ningjing Zhao, Wenting Li, Feixue Mi, Yang Li, Xinyu Wang, Changfeng Wu, Weijia Wen
- Journal
- Biomaterials
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123822
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Wounds
- Body System
- Integumentary
TL;DR
A NIR-triggered in situ hydrogel boosts hydrogen delivery at wound sites, promoting healing via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Key Finding
A light-activated gel containing specially designed nanoparticles generated hydrogen directly at wound sites in mice and reduced inflammatory markers through reactive oxygen species scavenging.
Summary
Researchers developed a new gel-based delivery system that uses near-infrared light to generate hydrogen directly at wound sites in mice. The gel contains special nanoparticles that produce hydrogen when exposed to light, and this hydrogen helps reduce harmful molecules (reactive oxygen species) and calm inflammation at the wound. This approach aims to overcome previous challenges in getting enough hydrogen to where it's needed for effective wound healing.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in mice that demonstrates a novel delivery method for hydrogen therapy in wound healing. While the results are promising, this technology would need to be tested in humans before any conclusions can be drawn about its practical use. The approach is still in the laboratory phase and not yet available as a consumer product.
Abstract
Hydrogen therapy has shown significant promise in improving wound healing by mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation. However, its therapeutic efficacy is constrained by limited delivery methods and insufficient bioavailability of hydrogen at wound sites. Herein, we design NIR-light triggered in situ gelation platform comprising ternary polymer dots as the photocatalyst, ascorbic acid as an electron mediator, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) as the polymeric matrix. The blended components of ternary Pdots enable the extended light absorption and cascading energy level alignment, leading to a marked increase in hydrogen generation compared to binary Pdots. Following local injection of the mixed precursor solution at the wound site and subsequent 700 nm light exposure, the in-situ gelation of PEGDA is initiated by ascorbate free radicals, obviating the need for commercial photoinitiators. The resulting hybrid hydrogel retains water content and photocatalysts, enabling prolonged hydrogen evolution under NIR light. The hydrogen produced by the catalytic action of the ternary Pdots effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species at the wound site and promotes macrophage M1-to-M2 phenotype transition. The immunomodulatory effects of this light-triggered platform demonstrate significant therapeutic potential, accelerating wound repair through enhanced hydrogen delivery strategy.