IGF-1C domain-modified chitosan hydrogel accelerates cutaneous wound healing by promoting angiogenesis

Background: Complete regeneration after skin injury remains a critical clinical challenge. Hydrogels, modified with growth factors or mimicking peptides, have been applied for functional tissue regeneration by increasing the bioactivity of engineered matrices. Methodology & results: We synthesized an injectable biological hydrogel, C domain of IGF-1 (IGF-1C)-modified chitosan (CS-IGF-1C) hydrogel. Mouse model of cutaneous wound healing was established to investigate whether this hydrogel could promote wound healing. Our results demonstrated that CS-IGF-1C hydrogel exhibited superior proangiogenic effects, resulting in accelerated wound closure and improved extracellular matrix remodeling. Bioluminescence imaging and histology analysis confirmed the proangiogenic role of CS-IGF-1C hydrogel. Conclusion: CS-IGF-1C hydrogel could accelerate cutaneous wound healing by stimulating angiogenesis.