Engineered scab-like sprayable powder hydrogel with placental dECM for diabetic wound regeneration

초록

The treatment of chronic and geometrically irregular wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, remains a significant clinical challenge due to impaired healing dynamics, persistent inflammation, and poor compatibility with conventional dressings. Here, we present a bioactive sprayable powder hydrogel composed of a polyelectrolyte complex of chitosan (CS) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), directly incorporating human placental decellularized extracellular matrix (pECM) powder. The formulation enables in situ gelation upon hydration and allows easy application and removal on irregular wound surfaces, offering a practical alternative to conventional ECM-based hydrogels. The optimized hydrogel exhibited strong adhesion, antimicrobial activity, minimal hemolysis, and supported high cytocompatibility with enhanced fibroblast proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, it promotes M2 macrophage polarization, a key immunoregulatory phenotype linked to tissue remodeling. In both normal and diabetic full-thickness mouse wound models, the hydrogel significantly accelerated wound closure compared to controls. Collectively, this study introduces a clinically translatable strategy that integrates the regenerative potential of placental ECM with the usability of a sprayable powder platform for effective wound management. © 2026

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