A Novel Substance P-Based Hydrogel for Increased Wound Healing Efficiency

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Dermatology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide that promotes wound healing by influencing cytokine production, cell proliferation, and migration.
• The therapeutic use of SP is hindered by its instability and susceptibility to oxidation during processing and storage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stable formulation of SP as an SP gel.
• To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo wound healing efficacy of the novel SP gel.

Main Methods:

• SP gel formulation was created and its stability assessed at various temperatures.
• In vitro assays measured the effect of SP gel on human epidermal keratinocyte and dermal fibroblast proliferation and migration.
• In vivo studies evaluated the wound healing capacity of SP gel on full-thickness wounds in mice.

Main Results:

• SP gel demonstrated stability at different temperatures for up to 4 weeks.
• In vitro, SP gel significantly increased keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation and migration compared to SP alone.
• In vivo, SP gel treatment accelerated the healing of full-thickness wounds in mice more effectively than SP alone.

Conclusions:

• The developed SP gel formulation is stable and enhances wound healing.
• SP gel shows superior in vitro and in vivo wound healing potential compared to SP alone.
• SP gel represents a promising topical therapeutic agent for wound treatment.