Development of a cellulose-based hydrogel with glucose-lowering, ROS-scavenging, and colorimetric detection properties

In this paper, a cellulose-based hydrogel with the ability to lower glucose levels, scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), and colorimetrically monitor early lesions was synthesized to address the issue of glucose and H 2 O 2 overexpression on the wound surface. Briefly, boronic acid pinacol ester containing phenolphthalein (BAPE-PPH) was employed as a crosslinker to react with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) to afford hydrogels (HPMC@PPH-Hs) with good biocompatibility. Because glucose has higher affinity for the phenylboronic ester group than cellulose derivatives, the HPMC@PPH-Hs showed excellent glucose-lowering performance. The presence of B-C bonds in the network endows the as-obtained hydrogel with H 2 O 2 sensitivity, and cleavage of the B-C bonds forces the transformation of BAPE-PPH moieties into PPH, giving rise to colorimetric behaviour. Thus, the obtained HPMC@PPH-Hs provide information to enrich the family of smart hydrogels, and its potential application in diabetic wound healing may be desirable. Graphical abstract