Impaired wound healing is a major medical challenge, especially in diabetics. Over the centuries, the main goal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has been to invent biomaterials that accelerate the wound healing process. In this context, keratin-derived biomaterial is a promising candidate due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this study, we evaluated an insoluble fraction of keratin containing casomorphin as a wound dressing in a full-thickness surgical skin wound model in mice (n = 20) with iatrogenically induced diabetes. Casomorphin, an opioid peptide with analgesic properties, was incorporated into keratin and shown to be slowly released from the dressing. An in vitro study showed that keratin-casomorphin dressing is biocompatible, non-toxic, and supports cell growth. In vivo experiments demonstrated that keratin-casomorphin dressing significantly (p < 0.05) accelerates the whole process of skin wound healing to the its final stage. Wounds covered with keratin-casomorphin dressing underwent reepithelization faster, ending up with a thicker epidermis than control wounds, as confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. This investigated dressing stimulated macrophages infiltration, which favors tissue remodeling and regeneration, unlike in the control wounds in which neutrophils predominated. Additionally, in dressed wounds, the number of microhemorrhages was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) as compared with control wounds. The dressing was naturally incorporated into regenerating tissue during the wound healing process. Applied keratin dressing favored reconstruction of more regular skin structure and assured better cosmetic outcome in terms of scar formation and appearance. Our results have shown that insoluble keratin wound dressing containing casomorphin supports skin wound healing in diabetic mice.
Impaired wound healing is a major medical problem. To solve it, researchers around the world have turned their attention to the use of tissue-engineered products to aid in skin regeneration in case of acute and chronic wounds. One of the primary goals of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is to develop a matrix or scaffold system that mimics the structure and function of native tissue. Keratin biomaterials derived from wool, hair, and bristle have been the subjects of active research in the context of tissue regeneration for over a decade. Keratin derivatives, which can be either soluble or insoluble, are utilized as wound dressings since keratins are dynamically up-regulated and needed in skin wound healing. Tissue biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical durability, and natural abundance are only a few of the keratin biomaterials’ properties, making them excellent wound dressing materials to treat acute and chronic wounds. Several experimental and pre-clinical studies described the beneficial effects of the keratin-based wound dressing in faster wound healing. This review focuses exclusively on the biomedical application of a different type of keratin biomaterials as a wound dressing in pre-clinical and clinical conditions.
Impaired wound healing affects hundreds of million people around the world; therefore, chronic wounds are a major problem not only for the patient, but also for already overloaded healthcare systems. Chronic wounds are always very susceptible to infections. Billions of dollars are spent to discover new antibiotics as quickly as possible; however, bacterial resistance against antibiotics is rising even faster. For this reason, a complete shift of the antibacterial treatment paradigm is necessary. The development of technology has allowed us to rediscover well-known agents presenting antimicrobial properties with a better outcome. In this context, silver nanoparticles are a promising candidate for use in such therapy. Silver has many useful properties that can be used in the treatment of chronic wounds, such as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties. In the form of nanoparticles, silver agents can work even more effectively and can be more easily incorporated into various dressings. Silver-based dressings are already commercially available; however, innovative combinations are still being discovered and very promising results have been described. In this review article, the authors focused on describing experimental and clinical studies exploring dressings containing either silver or silver nanoparticles, the results of which have been published in recent years.
The skin, acting as the outer protection of the human body, is most vulnerable to injury. Wound healing can often be impaired, leading to chronic, hard-to-heal wounds. For this reason, searching for the most effective dressings that can significantly enhance the wound healing process is necessary. In this regard, silk fibroin, a protein derived from silk fibres that has excellent properties, is noteworthy. Silk fibroin is highly biocompatible and biodegradable. It can easily make various dressings, which can be loaded with additional substances to improve healing. Dressings based on silk fibroin have anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic properties and significantly accelerate skin wound healing, even compared to commercially available wound dressings. Animal studies confirm the beneficial influence of silk fibroin in wound healing. Clinical research focusing on fibroin dressings is also promising. These properties make silk fibroin a remarkable natural material for creating innovative, simple, and effective dressings for skin wound healing. In this review, we summarise the application of silk fibroin biomaterials as wound dressings in full-thickness, burn, and diabetic wounds in preclinical and clinical settings.
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