Vancomycin-loaded quasi-MOF thermosensitive hydrogels for synergistic anti-inflammatory and healing of infected wounds

Thermosensitive hydrogel enables sustained vancomycin release for infected wounds. • Chitosan hydrogels, quasi-MOF, and vancomycin form a triple-action antibacterial system. • The hydrogel achieves > 99.9 % antibacterial efficacy against both resistant pathogens. • The hydrogel accelerates wound healing via inflammation reduction and tissue regeneration. Effective clinical management of infected wounds remains challenging due to the transient efficacy and resistance-inducing nature of conventional antibiotics. Multifunctional dressings capable of sustained drug release and microenvironment modulation are urgently needed. Herein, we present a smart thermosensitive hydrogel based on metal–organic framework nanozymes and an antibacterial agent, integrating vancomycin-loaded quasi-MIL-53 (Van@QMIL-53) into a biocompatible chitosan network to form a synergistic triple-action antibacterial system (VQCG). QMIL-53 exhibits enhanced catalytic activity and drug-loading capacity. The chitosan matrix enables sustained drug release and provides ideal wound management properties, including thermosensitivity, excellent swelling capacity, antioxidant activity, and skin adhesion. In vitro, the hydrogel demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant S. aureus ( MRSA ). In vivo, its therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in a murine model of wounds co-infected with MRSA and P. aeruginosa. The hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing by simultaneously eradicating pathogens, scavenging excess reactive oxygen species, and alleviating inflammation, as evidenced by downregulated Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) and upregulated Arginase-1 (Arg-1) expression. This work establishes a versatile MOF-hydrogel platform, offering a promising strategy for advanced wound dressings that synergistically address infection, oxidative stress, and tissue repair. Download: Download high-res image (151KB) Download: Download full-size image