Mussel-Mimetic Polyethylene Glycol–Protocatechualdehyde-Modified Polysiloxane Dressing for Wound Healing

Abstract Wound damage caused by dressing–wound adhesion during removal remains a common clinical complication. Polysiloxane dressings offer the advantage of low irritation during removal; however, their practical application remains restricted by poor adhesive performance and physiological inertness. Inspired by mussel foot proteins, protocatechuic aldehyde was grafted via Schiff base reaction onto the pendant chains of an aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)/vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymer synthesized by transesterification, yielding PAP enriched with catechol pendant groups and vinyl moieties. The PAP was subsequently incorporated into a polysiloxane gel matrix via hydrosilylation to fabricate the PAP-gel dressing. The incorporation of catechol groups enhanced interfacial adhesion and enabled sustained adhesive performance under moderately moist conditions. The gel conformed well to wound geometry, ensuring intimate contact with damaged skin, thereby increasing the wound–dressing contact area for improved adhesion stability while facilitating interaction between the wound bed and catechol groups for therapeutic benefit. In vitro analyses demonstrated that PAP exhibited notable ROS scavenging activity and low cytotoxicity. Histological analysis further confirmed that the gel attenuated cellular inflammation, and accelerated wound healing. Collectively, this work provides an innovative strategy for the functional extension of polysiloxane dressings, thereby broadening their potential clinical applications.