In Situ Forming Injectable Silk Fibroin Hydrogel Promotes Skin Regeneration in Full Thickness Burn Wounds

Abstract

Full‐thickness skin wounds, associated with deep burns or chronic wounds pose a major clinical problem. Herein, the development of in situ forming hydrogel using a natural silk fibroin (SF) biomaterial for treating burn wounds is reported. Blends of SF solutions isolated from Bombyx mori and Antheraea assama show inherent self‐assembly between silk proteins and lead to irreversible gelation at body temperature. Investigation of the gelation mechanism reveals crosslinking due to formation of β‐sheet structures as examined by X‐ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The SF hydrogel supports proliferation of primary human dermal fibroblasts and migration of keratinocytes comparable to collagen gel (Col) as examined under in vitro conditions. The SF hydrogel also provides an instructive and supportive matrix to the full‐thickness third‐degree burn wounds in vivo. A 3‐week comparative study with Col indicates that SF hydrogel not only promotes wound healing but also shows transitions from inflammation to proliferation stage as observed through the expression of TNF‐α and CD163 genes. Further, deposition and remodeling of collagen type I and III fibers suggests an enhanced overall tissue regeneration. Comparable results with Col demonstrate the SF hydrogel as an effective and inexpensive formulation toward a potential therapeutic approach for burn wound treatment.

Advanced Hydrogels as Wound Dressings

“…Those hydrogels exhibit numerous advantages, such as simple application without any specialist’s aid, patient satisfaction, and low production costs. Moreover, spray delivery can increase the penetration of the nanocomposite hydrogel into the wound area, thereby contributing to the improved delivery of active ingredients or therapeutic formulation to the wound [ 13 , 57 , 59 ]. However, the formulation of a sprayable wound dressing needs to be carefully adjusted to have an optimal viscosity to be applied as a spray-on dressing and cover the wound site uniformly [ 60 ].…”

Rapid and cytocompatible cell-laden silk hydrogel formation via riboflavin-mediated crosslinking

“…1,5 Silk fibroin is a fibrous protein that has been extensively exploited for biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility, excellent mechanical properties and biodegradation. 6 Applications, include corneal wound healing, 7,8 and tissue engineering of skin, 9 cartilage, 10 and bone tissue. 11 The unique mechanical properties of silk are due to its particular molecular conformation consisting of b-sheet domains within a network of semi-amorphous regions.…”

Injectable Enzyme‐Based Hydrogel Matrix with Precisely Oxidative Stress Defense for Promoting Dermal Repair of Burn Wound

“…In situ gelled and stimuli‐responsive injectable hydrogel provides attractive advantages to deliver wound therapy, which can promptly cover and integrate with irregular wound defects with minimal invasiveness, [ 20 ] provide hydration microenvironment required for burn wounds, reduce the risk of infection, and induce the regeneration of damaged tissue. [ 28 ] In this study, the MICH matrix was immediately formed in situ and exhibited multiresponsive injectable performance.…”