Astragalus Polysaccharide Hydrogel Promotes Diabetic Wound Healing by Modulating Macrophage Polarization and the Immune Microenvironment
- 1Department of Traumatic Orthopaedics, The People’s Hospital of Bozhou, Bozhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Bozhou, Anhui, 236800, People’s Republic of China
- 2Cancer Institute, Cellular Therapeutics School of Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China
- 3Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Department, The People’s Hospital of Bozhou, Bozhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Bozhou, Anhui, 236800, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common complication of diabetes characterized by chronic inflammation, impaired tissue repair, and limited therapeutic options. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative properties, but its therapeutic effects in diabetic wounds remain incompletely understood.
Methods: A diabetic full-thickness skin wound model was established in mice to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of an APS-loaded hydrogel. Wound closure, COL-1 and α-SMA expression, macrophage phenotypes, and cytokine profiles were assessed. Macrophage depletion and adoptive transfer of APS-conditioned bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were further performed to investigate the functional contribution of macrophages.
Results: APS hydrogel significantly accelerated wound closure and increased COL-1 and α-SMA expression. Treatment increased F4/80⁺CD206⁺ macrophages while reducing F4/80⁺iNOS⁺ macrophages, accompanied by elevated IL-10 and IL-4 levels, whereas TNF-α and IL-6 remained largely unchanged. Macrophage depletion attenuated the wound-healing effects of APS hydrogel, whereas adoptive transfer of APS-conditioned BMDMs enhanced wound closure and tissue remodeling. No significant systemic toxicity was observed under the experimental conditions.
Conclusion: APS hydrogel promotes diabetic wound healing by reshaping the local immune microenvironment toward a reparative macrophage phenotype, thereby facilitating inflammation resolution and tissue repair.
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BibTeX
@article{chai2026astragalus,
title = {{Astragalus Polysaccharide Hydrogel Promotes Diabetic Wound Healing by Modulating Macrophage Polarization and the Immune Microenvironment}},
author = {Leizi Chai and Peiji Lu and Wenhui Liu and Wanting Zhao and Haomin Chen and Bowen Lu and Shanshan Liu and Weimin Song},
journal = {Journal of Inflammation Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/jir.s626139},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/jir.s626139},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Astragalus Polysaccharide Hydrogel Promotes Diabetic Wound Healing by Modulating Macrophage Polarization and the Immune Microenvironment
AU - Leizi Chai
AU - Peiji Lu
AU - Wenhui Liu
AU - Wanting Zhao
AU - Haomin Chen
AU - Bowen Lu
AU - Shanshan Liu
AU - Weimin Song
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - Journal of Inflammation Research
DO - 10.2147/jir.s626139
UR - https://doi.org/10.2147/jir.s626139
AB - Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common complication of diabetes characterized by chronic inflammation, impaired tissue repair, and limited therapeutic options. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative properties, but its therapeutic effects in diabetic wounds remain incompletely understood. Methods: A diabetic full-thickness skin wound model was established in mice to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of an APS-loaded hydrogel. Wound closure, COL-1 and α-SMA expression, macrophage phenotypes, and cytokine profiles were assessed. Macrophage depletion and adoptive transfer of APS-conditioned bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were further performed to investigate the functional contribution of macrophages. Results: APS hydrogel significantly accelerated wound closure and increased COL-1 and α-SMA expression. Treatment increased F4/80⁺CD206⁺ macrophages while reducing F4/80⁺iNOS⁺ macrophages, accompanied by elevated IL-10 and IL-4 levels, whereas TNF-α and IL-6 remained largely unchanged. Macrophage depletion attenuated the wound-healing effects of APS hydrogel, whereas adoptive transfer of APS-conditioned BMDMs enhanced wound closure and tissue remodeling. No significant systemic toxicity was observed under the experimental conditions. Conclusion: APS hydrogel promotes diabetic wound healing by reshaping the local immune microenvironment toward a reparative macrophage phenotype, thereby facilitating inflammation resolution and tissue repair.
SN - 1178-7031
ER -