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RADA16 and SAAP148 Peptide-Modified Collagen Self-Assembled Hydrogels for Accelerated Healing of Infected Wounds.
Qian Liu1, Jiawei Wu1, Ho-Pan Bei2
1Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 North Taibai Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710069, China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|November 17, 2025
Summary
A novel collagen-based hydrogel (CR) loaded with SAAP148 peptide (CRS) enhances infected wound healing. This dual-scale biomaterial promotes tissue regeneration and overcomes limitations of current treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Wound Healing
Background:
- Infected wounds exhibit poor healing due to bacterial persistence, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
- Antimicrobial peptides like SAAP148 are effective but face challenges with rapid release and inactivation.
- Existing treatments often fail to fully restore complex skin structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, cross-linker-free hydrogel (Col I-RADA16, CR) for enhanced infected wound healing.
- To investigate the sustained release and bioactivity of SAAP148 peptide loaded within the CR hydrogel (CRS).
- To evaluate the efficacy of CRS in promoting skin appendage regeneration and accelerating wound closure in vivo.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a dual-scale hydrogel (CR) by integrating collagen type I (Col I) with self-assembling peptide RADA16.
- Loading of SAAP148 peptide into the CR hydrogel to create CRS.
- In vitro assessment of fibroblast behavior and antibacterial activity.
- In vivo evaluation of wound healing, including histological and immunohistochemical analyses of skin regeneration.
Main Results:
- The CR hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical properties and sustained SAAP148 release.
- CRS effectively inhibited bacterial infection, promoted fibroblast activity, and enhanced macrophage polarization.
- CRS significantly accelerated wound healing and promoted regeneration of skin appendages (hair follicles, glands) via specific signaling pathways.
- CRS outperformed traditional collagen and gelatin sponges in promoting skin regeneration.
Conclusions:
- The developed dual-scale, cross-linker-free hydrogel (CRS) is a promising platform for treating infected wounds.
- CRS effectively delivers SAAP148, enhances regenerative processes, and promotes complex skin structure formation.
- This innovative biomaterial offers a clinically translatable solution for challenging wound care scenarios.
