Citation: Xinlong He, Shoushan Hu, Zejin Liu, Xicheng Li, Kun Shi, Jie Xiang, Xueman Zhou, Yating Yi, Zhenzhen Zhang, Ruichen Dan, Jiaqi Liu, Chengxinyue Ye, Jun Wang, Zhiyong Qian, Jin Liu. Thermosensitive composite hydrogel with multifunction for sustainable alveolar bone regeneration in periodontitis[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(11): 112265. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.112265 shu

Thermosensitive composite hydrogel with multifunction for sustainable alveolar bone regeneration in periodontitis

Xinlong He ^{a, 1} ,
Shoushan Hu ^{b, 1} ,
Zejin Liu ^b ,
Xicheng Li ^a ,
Kun Shi ^a ,
Jie Xiang ^b ,
Xueman Zhou ^b ,
Yating Yi ^b ,
Zhenzhen Zhang ^b ,
Ruichen Dan ^b ,
Jiaqi Liu ^b ,
Chengxinyue Ye ^b ,
Jun Wang ^b ,
Zhiyong Qian ^{a, *,} ,
Jin Liu ^{a, *,}

a.
Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Lab for Aging Research, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
b.
State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China

anderson-qian@163.com

liujin@scu.edu.cn

Received Date: 11 September 2025
Revised Date: 9 December 2025
Accepted Date: 10 December 2025
Available Online: 14 December 2025

Figures(4)

Periodontitis, a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease, poses significant therapeutic challenges due to its complex pathological microenvironment. Current treatment strategies often fail to simultaneously address bacterial infection, microenvironment dysregulation and tissue regeneration. To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel ZnS/KAFAK@PLEL composite hydrogel platform for targeted periodontitis treatment. The engineered hydrogel exhibits a unique temperature-triggered sol-gel transition at body temperature, significantly prolonging its retention in periodontal pockets. In vitro studies demonstrate that the KAFAK (LAARLYRKALARQLGVAA) anti-inflammatory peptide effectively modulates cellular inflammatory responses, while ZnS nanoparticles scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), collectively promoting osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells. Comprehensive antibacterial evaluations, including colony formation assays, live/dead staining, and bacterial morphological analysis, confirm the composite hydrogel with antibacterial performance against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Staphylococcus aureus. In a rat periodontitis model, the ZnS/KAFAK@PLEL hydrogel significantly attenuated alveolar bone resorption while enhancing bone mineral density and bone volume fraction. This multifunctional composite hydrogel combines anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and osteoinducible properties, demonstrating remarkable potential for clinical translation in periodontitis management.
- Periodontitis,
- Hydrogel,
- KAFAK,
- Zinc sulfide,
- Tissue regeneration
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沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142