An in-situ self-gelation photothermal alginate-based sponge dressing for rapid and effective wound management

General wound management requires innovative strategies that simultaneously promote effective healing while minimizing patient discomfort and reducing the risk of infection. Herein, we report a photothermal self-gelation sponge dressing based on 3-Aminobenzeneboronic acid (BA) -modified sodium alginate doped with polydopamine nanoparticles (Alg-BA@PDA) that promotes wound repair. This in-situ self-gelation sponge ensures a precise fit to the wound contours within 5 s of rapid fluid absorption, significantly enhancing the therapeutic effect. Dynamically reversible borate ester bonds are formed between the sodium alginate network and PDA-NPs, which enhances the mechanical robustness of the sponge dressing and its adaptability to wound irregularity while maintaining good biocompatibility. Moreover, the sponge dressing shows good antibacterial activity and ROS scavenging capacity, attributed to the photothermal effect of doped PDA-NPs. The RT-qPCR testing and immunofluorescent staining revealed that the Alg-BA@PDA significantly enhances angiogenesis by upregulating the expression of VEGF, HIF-1α, bFGF, eNOs, and CD31 in endothelial cells, and inhibits the inflammatory response by downregulating the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, and CD68, all of which promotes wound healing in a mice full-thickness skin wound model in vivo. This outstanding ability makes the self-gelation sponge an ideal dressing to accelerate wound healing with wide potential applications in biomaterials and clinical treatment. Skin is the body’s largest organ, protecting us from harm and helping maintain balance. Traditional wound dressings like gauze and hydrogels have limitations, such as sticking to wounds or not absorbing enough fluid. Researchers developed a new type of wound dressing using a sponge made from modified alginate and polydopamine nanoparticles. This sponge quickly forms a gel when it contacts wound fluids, providing a moist environment that helps healing. The study involved creating this sponge and testing its properties. The sponge showed strong antibacterial effects, reduced inflammation, and promoted blood vessel growth, all of which are important for healing. It also demonstrated good compatibility with human cells, meaning it’s safe to use on wounds. The researchers concluded that this new sponge dressing could improve wound healing by preventing infection and supporting tissue repair. This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author. This work reports a self-gelating alginate sponge (Alg-BA@PDA) engineered by introducing 3-Aminobenzeneboronic acid groups and polydopamine nanoparticles. Hydroxyl groups on alginate chains dynamically crosslink with BA to form boronate ester networks, enabling rapid in situ gelation and conformal wound coverage. PDA-NPs endows the sponge with photothermal activity, antibacterial function, and ROS scavenging capacity, while also mitigating nanoparticle cytotoxicity through controlled release. Together, these features suppress inflammation, enhance angiogenesis, and promote collagen deposition. In vivo, the multifunctional Alg-BA@PDA sponge markedly accelerates full-thickness skin wound healing, highlighting its promise as a next-generation wound dressing.