Bionic Janus Fiber Enabling Autonomous Exudate Management and Multimodal Sterilization for Diabetic Wounds

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2025 Jul 12. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c10274. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Diabetic wound healing remains a persistent clinical challenge where exudate management and targeted disinfection constitute critical therapeutic priorities. Drawing inspiration from nature's asymmetric wettability in Janus-structured lotus leaves, we engineered a biomimetic wound dressing system that synergistically integrates directional biofluid transport and photothermal/photodynamic sterilization. The hierarchically structured PP/PAN-xCu-TCPP fiber dressing combines a hydrophobic polypropylene (PP) substrate with an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous matrix incorporating copper-porphyrin metal-organic frameworks (Cu-TCPP MOFs). This Janus architecture orchestrates unidirectional fluid dynamics via surface tension and contact angle differentials from the hydrophobic to the hydrophilic layer, effectively preventing exudate accumulation while maintaining physiologically moist microenvironments. The PP/PAN-20%Cu-TCPP fiber dressing confers spatiotemporal therapeutic control under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photothermal bactericidal effects. In Staphylococcus aureus-infected diabetic mice models, the dual-laser activated PP/PAN-20%Cu-TCPP system demonstrates excellent microbial eradication, immunomodulation by suppressing hyperinflammation and directing macrophage polarization toward regenerative M2 phenotypes, and angiogenic potentiation via dual phototherapeutic activation of endothelial cells and stromal remodeling. This multifunctional paradigm effectively bridges the critical gap between infection control and pro-regenerative microenvironment establishment, thereby accelerating wound repair.

Keywords: Janus architecture; bacterial eradication; diabetic wound; electrospinning; exudate management.