Photocatalytic glucose depletion and hydrogen generation for diabetic wound healing.

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are characterized by a high-glucose microenvironment that drives excessive glycation and persistent inflammation, impairing wound closure. Conventional hydrogen-rich water baths offer anti-inflammatory benefits but require prolonged daily soaking, which interferes with scab formation and fails to address the underlying hyperglycemic milieu. This study introduces hydrogen-incorporated titanium oxide nanorods capable of visible-light-driven photocatalysis that simultaneously consumes local glucose and generates hydrogen gas, using the excess glucose as a sacrificial reagent. In diabetic wound models, this dual action reduced advanced glycation end-product (AGE) synthesis and downregulated AGE receptor expression, collectively suppressing skin-cell apoptosis while enhancing proliferation and migration. The approach achieved markedly improved wound healing outcomes, offering a practical and efficient photocatalytic strategy for DFU management.

Mechanism

Hydrogen-incorporated TiO2 nanorods use excess glucose as a sacrificial agent under visible light to generate H2 locally. The combined glucose depletion and H2 production suppress AGE synthesis and receptor expression, reducing skin-cell apoptosis and promoting proliferation and migration.