Wound-Healing Material with Antibacterial and Antioxidant Functions, Constructed Using Keratin, Hyperbranched Polymers, and MnO₂

Abstract

Wound healing, a global medical issue, poses a substantial financial burden. Therefore, developing low-cost and highly efficacious wound-healing materials is essential. In this study, we prepared keratin-hyperbranched polymer hydrogel-M (KHBP-M), a multifunctional composite gel, by mixing reduced keratin containing free sulfhydryl groups extracted from human hair waste, hyperbranched polymer (HBP) with double bonds at the end, and MnO₂ nanoparticles prepared using the biological template method. Keratin has intrinsic wound-healing properties, and MnO₂ is a wound-healing material with both photothermal antibacterial and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging abilities. KHBP-M showed antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive (<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>) and Gram-negative (<i>Escherichia coli</i>) bacteria. When exposed to irradiation (808 nm), the killing ratio for <i>S. aureus</i> reached 99.99%, which is especially suitable for wound environments. A similar trend was noted for <i>E. coli</i>. The composite hydrogel also showed excellent ROS-scavenging ability and could resist oxidative stress in L929 cells. Furthermore, in an animal model of infected wounds, the KHBP-M hydrogel treated with near-infrared light had the fastest wound-healing rate, reaching 82.98% on day 15. Our study provides a promising wound-healing material, with simple preparation methods, easy access to sources, and low cost involved.