Biofunctionalized electrospun silk mats as a topical bioactive dressing for accelerated wound healing

Abstract

Materials able to deliver topically bioactive molecules represent a new generation of biomaterials. In this article, we describe the use of silk mats, made of electrospun nanoscale silk fibers containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), for the promotion of wound healing processes. In our experiments, we demonstrated that EGF is incorporated into the silk mats and slowly released in a time-dependent manner (25% EGF release in 170 h). We tested these materials using a new model of wounded human skin-equivalents displaying the same structure as human skin and able to heal using the same molecular and cellular mechanisms found in vivo. This human three-dimensional model allows us to demonstrate that the biofunctionalized silk mats, when placed on the wounds as a dressing, aid the healing by increasing the time of wound closure by the epidermal tongue by 90%. The preservation of the structure of the mats during the healing period as demonstrated by electronic microscopy, the biological action of the dressing, as well as the biocompatibility of the silk demonstrate that this biomaterial is a new and very promising material for medical applications, especially for patients suffering from chronic wounds.

Advances in drug delivery via electrospun and electrosprayed nanomaterials

“…90 The ability of epidermal GF (EGF)-loaded silk nanofibers was also demonstrated to contribute strongly towards the healing process by decreasing the time of wound closure. 91 A transdermal drug-delivery system (TDDS) is designed to support and facilitate the delivery of target agents into the body through the skin. 92 In addition to wound-dressing applications, electrospun nanofibers can also be used as a TDDS.…”

Synthesis of Antibacterial Silver–Poly(ɛ-caprolactone)-Methacrylic Acid Graft Copolymer Nanofibers and Their Evaluation as Potential Wound Dressing

“…The wound healing closer to these mats was increased by 90% [13]. An active ingredient with medical applications, curcumin, was incorporated into polycaprolactone [14] and cellulose acetate nanofibers [15] for wound dressings. These nanofiber dressings were more effective than the traditional dressings in healing dermal fibroblasts of human skin.…”

Electrospun scaffolds of polylactide with a different enantiomeric content and loaded with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs

“…synergic effects. Studies on dual drug-loaded systems, mainly fibers fabricated by coaxial electrospinning 20 and multilayered electrospun polymer mats, 21 demonstrated different release kinetics from simple systems and/or that the severe initial burst release could be retarded or even negated.…”