3D-bioprinted multifunctional artificial skin patches with synergistic antimicrobial-mechanoadaptive functions for accelerating infected wound healing

This study employs advanced 3D bioprinting to molecularly integrate polycaprolactone (PCL), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), and curcumin (CCM), formulating an artificial skin patch with dual antibacterial and regenerative functionalities. The patch employs directional hydrogen bonding between CMCS and bioactive CCM to reduce the contact angle of the PCL matrix from 107.5° to 57.3°, significantly enhancing antibacterial efficacy ( S. aureus : 92.89 %; E. coli : 99.31 %), promoting cell migration, and achieving an optimal balance between tensile strength (11 MPa) and elongation (30 %). The material demonstrates exceptional mechanical resilience with a storage modulus (G′ = 3.1 kPa) greater than the loss modulus (G″ = 1.6 kPa), and over 95 % modulus recovery within 30 s after 10 % strain, ensuring structural integrity under dynamic wound conditions. In vivo animal studies confirmed that the artificial skin patch significantly promoted the healing of infected wounds, with only approximately 5.51 ± 1.56 % of the wound area remaining unhealed after 12 days of treatment. Histological analysis further revealed that the patch effectively suppressed IL-6 expression and facilitated epithelialization, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and macrophage polarization. Both in vitro and in vivo assessments validate its superior wound-healing capacity, offering a highly efficient, customizable, and transformative solution for clinical wound management.