Antimicrobial Peptide-Modified Nanocellulose-Silver Nanoparticle Composite Wound Dressings

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a clinically established nanofibrillar wound dressing material that promotes healing by maintaining a moist and protected wound microenvironment. BC dressings can remain on wounds for extended periods, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. However, BC lacks intrinsic antimicrobial properties, and infections in contaminated wounds remain a clinical concern, particularly in vulnerable patient populations. In this study, we present a benign and scalable self-assembly strategy to functionalize clinically used BC dressings with presynthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and antimicrobial peptides (C5), resulting in dual-action antimicrobial activity while preserving beneficial BC material properties. Colloidal AgNPs were efficiently adsorbed into the BC matrix by tailoring the interaction potential between the BC nanofibrils and the nanoparticles. Subsequent functionalization with C5 provided complementary antimicrobial mechanisms. The resulting dressings exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, while maintaining high cytocompatibility with human primary keratinocytes and fibroblasts. By enabling tunable silver content, improved antimicrobial performance, and low cytotoxicity, the platform offers a promising route toward infection control in hard-to-heal wounds using clinically approved advanced BC dressings.