Schematic representation of CMC-delaminated MXene and its potential application in wound healing.

Abstract

The present study introduces carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) delaminated Ti₃C₂ MXene (MX_CMC) as a novel therapeutic nanoplatform for chronic wound treatment. MXene was delaminated with CMC in water. Electron microscopy confirmed the 2D layered structure of MX_CMC, which demonstrated 60% higher dispersibility in aqueous media compared to MX alone. The nanoplatform showed high cytocompatibility with human adult dermal fibroblasts (HADF) and positively impacted cell migration, fibroblast differentiation, and VEGF expression. In vitro tube formation study with human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) further confirmed the angiogenic nature of MX_CMC. A low expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) in the U937 cell line upon treatment with MX_CMC implied the non-immunogenic nature of the material. MX_CMC showed significant antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and B. subtilis, including biofilm prevention. In vivo testing in a rat model of infected diabetic chronic wounds yielded promising therapeutic outcomes. In this study, we have successfully prepared delaminated 2D Ti₃C₂ MXene in an environment-friendly way, which not only exhibits long-term dispersibility in biologically relevant aqueous media, but also possesses excellent antimicrobial, angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. In conclusion, MX_CMC could be a potential multifunctional nanoplatform for biomedical applications, especially for wound healing.