Hydroxyproline-Modified Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Dressing Incorporated with Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Promotes Wound...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Immunology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Immunoregulation is a promising strategy for enhancing wound healing by modulating the local immune response.
• Developing advanced biomaterials is crucial for effective wound management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer an extracellular matrix biomimetic hydrogel for wound immunoregulation.
• To investigate the therapeutic potential of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)-loaded hydrogels in promoting skin defect repair.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a polysaccharide-based hydrogel via Michael-type addition between maleimidyl pullulan and hydroxyproline-modified chitosan.
• Incorporation of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) into the hydrogel.
• In vitro assessment of hydrogel properties (injectability, self-healing, biocompatibility, ROS scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial activity).
• In vivo evaluation of the hydrogel's efficacy in a full-thickness skin defect mouse model.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel demonstrated favorable injectability, self-healing capabilities, and biocompatibility.
• EGCG-loaded hydrogels exhibited significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.
• In vivo studies showed reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10), alongside enhanced re-epithelialization, granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis.
• Accelerated wound healing rates were observed in the EGCG-hydrogel treated group.

Conclusions:

• The developed immunoregulatory hydrogel effectively modulates the wound microenvironment, promoting faster and more efficient skin defect repair.
• This biomimetic hydrogel strategy holds significant potential for the design of advanced wound management materials.