Spatiotemporally Controllable Bifunctional Micellar-Carbon Dot Supernanoparticles for Wounds Healing

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) serves as a robust alternative to antibiotics, effectively facilitating the healing of infected wounds and circumventing the risk of resistance. However, the clinical application of aPDT is constrained by the local overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) post-treatment and the deficiencies associated with traditional photosensitizers. Utilizing the self-assembly property of Pluronic F-127 (F127), we successfully achieved the efficient coassembly of cerium-doped carbon dots (Ce-CDs), significantly enhancing the photodynamic antimicrobial efficiency of carbon dots through a straightforward and effective method. Simultaneously, the introduction of cerium imparts outstanding antioxidant efficiency to F127-Ce-CDs (F-Ce-CDs), efficiently clearing overexpressed ROS at the site of infected wounds and protecting cells against oxidative stress. Moreover, F-Ce-CDs exhibit favorable biocompatibility and can significantly accelerate the migration of epithelial cells. In a murine model of infected wounds, F-Ce-CDs effectively inhibit bacterial activity and reduce inflammation, promoting collagen deposition and epithelial tissue regeneration, thereby accelerating the wound-healing process. With effective antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, coupled with excellent biocompatibility, F-Ce-CDs demonstrate substantial promise as a remarkably efficient application for safe and effective dressings in the healing of infected wounds.