Metal-organic frameworks for improving wound healing

Wound healing is the most important restorative process for injury to the skin and other tissues. In the process of wound healing, bacterial infection can easily lead to serious tissue damage. There is an urgent need to discover new drugs or methods to accelerate wound healing. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a type of porous hybrid materials containing metal ions connected by organic ligands, have great potential in improving wound healing. Firstly, this review discusses the pathophysiology of complex wounds, current approaches to achieve healing in patients and the limitations of traditional methods. Then the review emphasizes the application of MOF materials in improving wound healing. MOF materials-based metal ion sustained-release systems can show long-term antibacterial effects or promote angiogenesis in the degradation process of MOFs. As an enzyme-like active material, it can be used to convert hydrogen peroxide into highly toxic hydroxyl groups to improve antibacterial efficiency in wounds. As a controlled drug delivery system for wound healing, it is important for MOFs to load drugs (molecular or gas therapeutic drugs), effectively inhibiting the growth of microorganisms or enhancing angiogenesis in the wound site. Moreover, MOF materials-based photoexcited systems can provide the potential of combining photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy for bacterial infections. Lastly, the future challenges and directions of MOF materials in wound healing are also discussed.