Polymersome-hydrogel composites with combined quick and long-term antibacterial activitiesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis and characterization of the monomers and polymers, additional SEM images, standard curve of the concentration of penicillin G, and decomposition tests. See DOI: 10.1039/c8tb01608a

• Main Authors: Hong, Yuanxiu, Xi, Yuejing, Zhang, Junxue, Wang, Dongdong, Zhang, Hailong, Yan, Ning, He, Shisheng, Du, Jianzhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10.10.2018
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/c8tb01608a

We present an antibacterial polymersome-hydrogel composite that combines the advantages of both antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics. The polymersomes are self-assembled from poly( -caprolactone)- block -poly(lysine- stat -phenylalanine) [PCL- b -P(Lys- stat -Phe)], exhibiting long-acting intrinsic antibacterial capabilities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, penicillin is encapsulated into the polymersomes, showing quick and enhanced antibacterial activities. Furthermore, a dynamic hydrogel network is prepared based on the Schiff base linkages between the aldehyde groups of dibenzaldehyde-functionalized PEG (DF-PEG) and the amino groups of chitosan. During this process, the penicillin-loaded polymersomes are grafted into the hydrogel networks by Schiff base linkages to afford polymersome-hydrogel composites, which exhibit two-stage antibacterial behavior: (1) penicillin can be released from the hydrogel networks for quick antibacterial function; (2) the polymersomes and the remaining penicillin can be further released for long-term antibacterial effects. Overall, this polymersome-hydrogel composite represents a new type of injectable antibacterial biomaterial for quick and long-acting antibacterial applications. Intrinsically antibacterial polymersomes loaded with antibiotics were incorporated into hydrogels, exhibiting quick and long-acting antibacterial activity.