Catechol functionalized chitosan/active peptide microsphere hydrogel for skin wound healing.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Chitosan hydrogels are useful in drug delivery and tissue engineering but lack bioactivity.
• Integral active oyster peptide microspheres (OPM) were developed with high encapsulation efficiency and sustained release.
• Catechol functionalized chitosan (CS-C) was used as a matrix with OPM and β-sodium glycerophosphate (β-GP) for a thermosensitive hydrogel.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel chitosan-based thermosensitive hydrogel (CS-C/OPM/β-GP) for wound healing applications.
• To assess the bioactivity and efficacy of the hydrogel in promoting skin wound repair.
• To evaluate the biosafety and cytotoxicity of the developed hydrogel formulation.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of integral active oyster peptide microspheres (OPM) and catechol functionalized chitosan (CS-C).
• Formulation of the thermosensitive hydrogel CS-C/OPM/β-GP using β-sodium glycerophosphate (β-GP).
• In vitro assessment of cell migration (L929 cells) and in vivo evaluation in mouse skin wound models, including histological analysis and safety testing.

Main Results:

• The CS-C/OPM/β-GP hydrogel significantly accelerated L929 cell migration in vitro (97.47% within 48h).
• In vivo studies showed accelerated collagen fiber and blood vessel generation, reduced inflammatory cell aggregation, and enhanced protein synthesis in wound tissues.
• The hydrogel upregulated Ki-67 and VEGF expression, indicating promotion of cell proliferation and angiogenesis, leading to fast wound healing.

Conclusions:

• The CS-C/OPM/β-GP hydrogel exhibits excellent bioactivity and promotes rapid wound healing by enhancing cellular processes and tissue regeneration.
• The hydrogel demonstrated good biosafety, with no cytotoxicity to L929 cells and a hemolysis ratio below 5% at 1 mg/mL.
• This novel chitosan-based hydrogel holds significant promise as an advanced medical dressing for effective wound management.