Microneedle dressing incorporating deferoxamine-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles for diabetic wound therapy

Managing diabetic wounds remains a complex biomedical challenge due to impaired vascularization, persistent inflammation, and limited drug penetration. This study presents a microneedle (MN) dressing composed of a carrageenan-Soluplus® matrix embedded with silk fibroin (SF) nanoparticles loaded with deferoxamine (DFO), designed to address these therapeutic barriers. The MN patch demonstrated favorable physical properties, including a swelling ratio of 163.66 ± 8.75%, biodegradability of 55.70 ± 4.45%, and sustained drug release over 7 days (87.47% ± 10.74%). In vitro assays confirmed cytocompatibility across all formulations. In vivo evaluation using a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model revealed that MN-treated wounds exhibited complete epidermal restoration, organized dermal architecture, and dense, aligned collagen bundles, hallmarks of advanced healing. Compared to simple film-type dressings, the MN system enabled targeted transdermal delivery via micro-channels, resulting in enhanced angiogenesis and reduced inflammation. These outcomes suggest that incorporation of DFO-loaded SF nanoparticles into microneedle-based dressings offers a promising localized strategy for accelerating tissue regeneration in diabetic and ischemia-prone wounds, with potential to improve clinical outcomes in chronic wound management.