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Biofunctional silk sericin hydrogels: A versatile platform with potential for tissue healing and regeneration
Anabela Veiga1, Viviana Ribeiro2, Rosa Ana Ramírez-Jiménez3
1Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal; LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology & Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto 4200-465, Portugal; ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto 4200-465, Portugal; Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP) CSIC, C. Juan de la Cierva, 3, Madrid 28006, Spain.
Discarded silk sericin protein (SS) was engineered into stable hydrogels for tissue engineering. These versatile biomaterials show promise for wound healing and 3D bioprinting applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Discarded silk sericin protein (SS) possesses inherent biocompatibility, antioxidant, and moisture-retention properties, making it a promising candidate for tissue engineering (TE).
- Limited aqueous stability of SS has hindered its widespread application in TE and biomedical fields.
- Developing stable SS-based biomaterials is crucial for advancing regenerative medicine and wound care solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize stable silk sericin (SS)-based hydrogels using tannic acid (TA) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) crosslinking systems.
- To evaluate the potential of these SS-hydrogels for skin tissue engineering (TE) applications, including wound dressings and bioinks.
- To address the limitations of SS in aqueous environments and expand its utility in biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Silk sericin (SS) hydrogels were prepared at 2.5% and 5% (w/v) concentrations.
- Tannic acid (TA) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were employed as crosslinking agents.
- Hydrogels were characterized for rheological properties, swelling, stability, degradation, cytocompatibility, and cell encapsulation.
Main Results:
- The developed SS-hydrogels exhibited tunable rheological behavior (G' 100–10,000 Pa), controlled swelling (up to 24%), and excellent retention capacity (stable over 24–30 h).
- TA-crosslinked hydrogels demonstrated high fluid retention, suitable for moist wound dressings.
- HRP-crosslinked hydrogels showed shear-thinning properties and rapid recovery, ideal for 3D bioprinting and injectable applications, with cytocompatibility exceeding 85% and successful cell proliferation.
Conclusions:
- This study successfully developed a versatile SS-based hydrogel platform with enhanced stability and tunable properties.
- TA-crosslinked hydrogels are suitable for high-moisture wound dressings, while HRP-crosslinked hydrogels are promising for 3D bioprinting and injectable therapies.
- These SS-hydrogels offer significant potential for advancing skin tissue healing and regeneration applications.
