Fiber/hydrogel hybrid wound dressing based on eggshell membrane containing postbiotic ingredients

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Healthy skin is crucial for overall well-being.
• Wound dressings are vital for promoting effective wound healing.
• Natural biomaterials offer promising avenues for advanced wound care solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and characterize a novel fiber-hydrogel wound dressing.
• To utilize eggshell membrane (ESM) and postbiotics from Lactobacillus plantarum NIMBB003.
• To evaluate the dressing's potential for enhancing wound healing.

Main Methods:

• Eggshell membrane (ESM) was isolated using acidic treatment.
• Ultrasound processing optimized ESM pore size for hydrogel infiltration.
• Alginate hydrogel was infiltrated into ESM, followed by characterization using ATR, SEM, and weight analysis.
• Biostability, mechanical strength, water uptake, and water vapor transmission rate were assessed.
• The effect of postbiotics on cell proliferation and fibroblast adhesion was evaluated.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound treatment successfully increased ESM pore size, facilitating hydrogel infiltration.
• The hybrid ESM-alginate dressing exhibited enhanced mechanical strength (1.89 MPa) and water uptake (368.05%).
• The dressing demonstrated appropriate moist management with a water vapor transmission rate of 34.14 mg/cm² over 72 hours.
• Postbiotic enrichment significantly improved human dermal fibroblast proliferation and adhesion.
• Alginate hydrogel showed better stability within the hybrid structure compared to oxidized alginate.

Conclusions:

• The developed eggshell membrane-based fiber-hydrogel dressing possesses an extracellular matrix-like structure.
• This natural biomaterial composite effectively supports wound healing by promoting cell proliferation and adhesion.
• The dressing shows significant potential as an advanced wound care therapeutic.