Self‐Assembly and Mechanical Properties of Engineered Protein Based Multifunctional Nanofiber for Accelerated Wound Healing

Abstract

The present work reports a new route for preparing tunable multifunctional biomaterials through the combination of synthetic biology and material chemistry. Genetically encoded catechol moiety is evolved in a nanofiber mat with defined surface and secondary reactive functional chemistry, which promotes self-assembly and wet adhesion property of the protein. The catechol moiety is further exploited for the controlled release of boric acid that provides a congenial cellular microenvironment for accelerated wound healing. The presence of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in the nanofiber mat act as a stimulus to trigger cell proliferation, migration, and vascularization to accelerate wound healing. Electron paramagnetic resonance, NMR, FTIR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy confirm the structural integrity, antioxidant property, and controlled release of boric acid. Fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy reveals the 3D architecture of nanofiber mat, which favors fibroblast growth, endothelial cell attachment, and tube formation, which are the desirable properties of a wound-healing material. Animal studies in the murine wound healing model assert that the multifunctional biomaterial significantly improve re-epithelialization and accelerate wound closure.

Self-Healing Behavior of Polymer/Protein Hybrid Hydrogels

“…The strategies for achieving the self-healing characteristics and formulating smart materials for diverse applications are continuously developed; some challenges and future outlooks were discussed recently in comprehensive reviews [ 14 , 27 , 42 , 43 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 ]. The present paper joins the recent efforts undertaken to design self-healing hydrogels and hybrid materials [ 6 , 7 , 14 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 37 , 53 , 74 ] with unique and targeted properties, based on synergism, by using accessible methods, without altering the functionality and structural integrity of the components.…”

“…Multifunctional hydrogels based on synthetic or natural polymers combined with proteins, peptides or active enzymes represent in most cases a synergistic approach that allows the design of materials with targeted properties in various applications. These hybrid materials present improved mechanical and structural stability, functionality and biocompatibility, and they are able to integrate and regenerate the tissue [ 26 , 27 , 29 , 37 ].…”

Recombinant and genetic code expanded collagen-like protein as a tailorable biomaterial

“…The comprehension of the protein translational machinery of ribosomal biosynthesis provoked researchers to manipulate the orthogonal translational machinery and incorporate UAAs in proteins. [122][123][124] Genetic code expansion strategies are categorized into residue-specific and site-specific UAA incorporation (Fig. 6).…”

Electroactive nanofibrous membrane with temperature monitoring for wound healing

“…The ability to mimic an extracellular matrix's (ECM) structure, the good mechanical performance, and the inherently high surface-to-volume ratio make nanobrous membranes suitable for various biomedical applications. [19][20][21] Especially, nanobrous membranes could recapitulate the brous architecture of native tissue microenvironments crucial for wound repair, and increasingly nanobrous membranes have been applied in wound dressings. 22,23 Moreover, the temperature is one of the important indicators for assessing wound status, and quantitative skin temperature measurements around wounds can help wound care practitioners identify deep or disseminated infections early.…”