Multifunctional Gold-Silver-Carbon Quantum Dots Nano-Hybrid Composite: Advancing Antibacterial Wound Healing and Cell Proliferation

The urgent need for innovative materials that effectivelyeliminatebacteria while promoting cell growth to accelerate wound healing hasled to the exploration of new options, as current antimicrobial nanoparticlesoften exhibit high cytotoxicity, which hinders wound closure. In thisstudy, a nano-hybrid composite, named gold-silver-carbonquantum dots (AuAg-CDs), was prepared by embedding gold and silvernanoclusters into carbon dots. The AuAg-CDs nano-hybrid compositedemonstrates remarkable biocompatibility, displays potent antibacterialactivity, and possesses a unique capability to promote cell proliferation.By physically disrupting bacterial membranes and promoting mammaliancell proliferation, this composite emerges as a highly promising materialfor wound healing applications. The underlying mechanism of the multifunctionalAuAg-CDs was investigated through comprehensive analyses encompassingcell morphology, bacterial membrane potential, levels of reactiveoxygen species (ROS), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) productionin both bacterial and mammalian cells. Additionally, AuAg-CDs wereincorporated into alginate to create a hydrogel wound dressing, whichunderwent evaluation using animal models. The results underscore theremarkable potential of the AuAg-CDs wound dressing in facilitatingthe proliferation of wound fibroblasts and combating bacterial infections.The significance of designing multifunctional nanomaterials to addressthe challenges associated with pathogenic bacterial infections andregenerative medicine is highlighted by this study, paving the wayfor future advancements in these fields.