Tailoring Silk Fibroin-Based Hydrogels for Enhanced Corneal Epithelial Repair

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Corneal wound healing is crucial for maintaining vision.
• Silk fibroin (SF) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are promising biomaterials for tissue repair.
• Optimizing SF molecular weight is key for effective hydrogel formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the therapeutic potential of SF/HA composite hydrogels for corneal epithelial wound healing.
• To determine the optimal molecular weight of SF for promoting corneal repair.
• To evaluate a novel H-SF/HA gel@M-SF formulation for ophthalmic applications.

Main Methods:

• SF of varying molecular weights was analyzed to identify optimal properties.
• A composite hydrogel (H-SF/HA gel@M-SF) was formulated using medium molecular weight SF (M-SF).
• Physicochemical properties and biological functions were assessed using cell assays and a mouse corneal injury model.

Main Results:

• Medium molecular weight SF (M-SF; 10-72 kDa) demonstrated superior promotion of cell proliferation, attachment, and migration.
• The H-SF/HA gel@M-SF formulation enhanced the expression of key corneal repair genes (NOTCH I, GSK3β, ACTG, VCL).
• In vivo studies showed complete corneal wound closure within 48 hours with H-SF/HA gel@M-SF, outperforming controls.

Conclusions:

• SF molecular weight critically influences hydrogel efficacy in corneal wound healing.
• The H-SF/HA gel@M-SF formulation shows significant potential for ophthalmic applications.
• This study highlights the importance of biomaterial design for effective regenerative therapies.