HE@PCL/PCE Gel-Nanofiber Dressing with Robust Self-Adhesion toward High Wound-Healing Rate via Microfluidic Electrospinning Technology

Abstract

Hydrogels have attracted increasing attention in the biomedical field due to their similarity in structure and composition to natural extracellular matrices. However, they have been greatly limited by their low mechanical strength and self-adhesion for further application. Here, a gel-nanofiber material is designed for wound healing, which synergistically combines the benefits of hydrogels and nanofibers and can overcome the bottleneck of poor mechanical strength and self-adhesion in hydrogels and inadequate healing environment created by nanofibers. First, a nanofiber scaffold composed of polycaprolactone/poly(citric acid)-ε-lysine (PCL/PCE) nanofibers is fabricated via a new strategy of microfluidic electrospinning, which could provide a base for hyaluronic acid-polylysine (HE) gel growth on nanofibers. The prepared HE@PCL/ PCE gel-nanofiber possesses high tensile strength (24.15 ± 1.67 MPa), excellent air permeability (656 m 3 /m 2 h kPa), outstanding self-adhesion property, and positive hydrophilicity. More importantly, the prepared gel-nanofiber dressing shows good cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties, achieving a high wound-healing rate (92.48%) and 4.685 mm granulation growth thickness within 12 days. This material may open a promising avenue for accelerating wound healing and tissue regeneration, providing potential applications in clinical medicine.

Functional electrospun nanofibers: fabrication, properties, and applications in wound-healing process

“…Studies have shown that hemostasis, as an essential function, is usually used in combination with other functions. 120 For example, combining the adhesive properties of electrostatically spun nanofibers not only seals the wound to provide hemostasis 121 but also seamlessly adheres to the wound site for a long period, avoiding the potential risk of infection caused by contact between the wound and the external environment. 122,123 …”

Dual-Drug-Loaded Core–Shell Electrospun Nanofiber Dressing for Deep Burns

“…The healing of a deep burn wound is a lengthy process that involves wound proliferation, epithelialization, and collagenization, and it is highly susceptible to external bacterial infections . It is essential to utilize wound dressings that possess dual functions of promoting healing and providing antibacterial effects. , …”