Peptide-/Drug-DirectedSelf-Assembly of Hybrid PolyurethaneHydrogels for Wound Healing

Drug-loading hydrogels are promising candidates in the bioengineering research field; nevertheless, hydrophobic drug loading into a hydrophilic carrier system remains unsolved and is full of challenges. In this work, following the potential dual interactions between peptides and aromatic drugs, we developed a potent hybrid hydrogel formation method, namely, “peptide-/drug-directed self-assembly”. The hybrid hydrogels were synthesized using polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based Fmoc-FF peptide hybrid polyurethane, in which curcumin could be encapsulated through self-assembly with Fmoc-FF peptide via π–π stacking. On the basis of this, curcumin loading capacity could be improved to as high as 3.3 wt % with sustained release. In addition, the curcumin loading enhanced the hydrogel mechanical properties from 4 kPa to over 10 kPa, similar to that of natural soft tissues. Furthermore, the hydrogels were injectable with self-healing properties since the Fmoc-FF peptide/curcumin coassembly was noncovalent and reversibl...