Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Framework Capable of Binding Proinflammatory Mediators in Hydrogel Form Promotes Wound Healing Process through a Multiscale Adsorption Mechanism.

The regulation of proinflammatory mediators has been explored to promote natural healing without abnormal inflammation or autoimmune response induced by their overproduction. However, most efforts to control these mediators have relied on pharmacological substances that are directly engaged in biological cycles. We believe that functional porous materials removing target mediators provide a new way to promote healing process using their adsorption mechanisms. In this study, the Zr-based MOF-808 (Zr 6 O 4 (OH) 4 (BTC) 2 (HCOO) 6 ) crystals were found to be effective at removing proinflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro and in vivo, because of their porous structure and surface affinity. The MOF-808 crystals were applied to in vivo skin wound model as a hydrogel dispersion. The hydrogel containing 0.2 wt% MOF-808 crystals showed significant improvement in terms of wound healing efficacy and quality over the corresponding control. It was also proven that the mode of action is the removal of the proinflammatory mediators in vivo. Moreover, the application of MOF-808-containing hydrogels promoted cell activation and proliferation, and inhibited chronic inflammation, leading to increased wound healing quality. These findings suggest that Zr-based MOFs may be a promising drug-free solution for skin problems related to proinflammatory mediators. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.