Injectable antibacterial drug-free hydrogel dressing enabled by a bioactive peptide-mimicking synthetic peptidyl polymer

The management of bacterial wounds presents a significant challenge in the field of medicine and poses a grave threat to public health. Traditional gauze materials exhibit limited efficacy in treating bacterial infection wounds, while antibiotics demonstrate cytotoxicity and resistance. Therefore, in this study, the peptide biomimetic polymer (PAL-BA) was designed and served as the antibacterial framework for constructing an antibiotic drug-free antibacterial hydrogel dressing through a Schiff base reaction with oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA). The design of PAL-BA aims to emulate the antimicrobial properties of host defense peptides, serving as a viable alternative to antibiotics drugs. It exhibits comparable antimicrobial activity to polylysine while maintaining biosafety. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PAL-BA exhibited exceptional antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , while the PAL-BA based antibacterial hydrogel (PBP gel) effectively eliminated 100% of pathogenic bacteria within a duration of 140 min. In vivo studies further demonstrated that PBP hydrogels effectively accelerate the healing of bacterial infected wounds by blocking the infection process. Therefore, the antimicrobial peptide biomimetic polymer hydrogel exhibits significant promise for the management of bacterial wound infections. Statement of significance The management of bacterial infection wounds remains a challenging issue in clinical practice. In this study, we propose the utilization of a peptide biomimetic polymer (PAL-BA) as an antibacterial framework and its combination with oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) through Schiff base reactions to develop an antibiotic drug-free antibacterial hydrogel dressing for the treatment of bacterial infections wounds. The design of PAL-BA aims to mimic the antimicrobial properties of host defense peptides, providing a promising alternative to antibiotic drugs. It demonstrates comparable antimicrobial activity to poly-lysine while maintaining biosafety. Importantly, this antimicrobial peptide biomimetic polymer hydrogel effectively inhibits the infection process in mouse wounds and accelerates the healing of bacterially infected wounds, offering a therapeutic approach for treating infected wounds.