Lipid Nanoparticles Enable Efficient EGF mRNA Delivery for Wound Healing

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Materials Science

Background:

• Skin wound healing is often impaired by insufficient repair mechanisms.
• Recombinant Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) shows therapeutic potential but suffers from short half-life and instability.
• Current limitations hinder the clinical application of EGF for effective wound treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery system for Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) mRNA.
• To achieve sustained local protein expression for enhanced skin wound healing.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional recombinant EGF therapy.

Main Methods:

• EGF mRNA was synthesized and encapsulated into pH-sensitive LNPs using microfluidics.
• Physicochemical properties, stability, and biocompatibility of LNP-mRNA_EGF were evaluated.
• In vitro cell studies and in vivo mouse models of full-thickness skin defects were used to assess therapeutic efficacy.

Main Results:

• LNP-mRNA_EGF exhibited good stability and biocompatibility, promoting sustained EGF expression and cell proliferation/migration in vitro.
• A single LNP-mRNA_EGF dose significantly accelerated wound closure in mice by day 10, outperforming controls.
• Enhanced re-epithelialization, optimized collagen deposition, and upregulated EGF/E-cadherin expression were observed with no systemic toxicity.

Conclusions:

• The LNP-based EGF mRNA platform facilitates efficient, sustained local protein expression from a single dose.
• This approach presents a promising strategy for protein replacement therapy in skin repair.
• The technology significantly accelerates wound healing via improved re-epithelialization and collagen remodeling.