ケラチン由来の保存配列が自己集合タンパク質の設計を導き、創傷治癒を加速する

Despite considerable subtype diversity among the 17 human hair keratins, all keratin subtypes exhibit remarkable capabilities in promoting clotting, facilitating wound healing, and undergoing self-assembly. However, their conserved bioactive motifs remain unclear. Here, we identified specific conserved motifs derived from highly conserved regions of type I and type II human hair keratins, which were used to design a keratin-mimetic protein named KRTn4 by incorporating four repeats of these conserved keratin motifs. This novel design strategy enables KRTn4 to undergo more efficient self-assembly compared to traditional keratins. More importantly, KRTn4 is capable of both homotypic and spherical assembly. Additionally, the self-assembling hydrogel exhibits enhanced structural integrity and significantly improved cell-regulatory activity. Notably, the KRTn4 hydrogel facilitates superior in vivo hemostatic efficiency and wound healing performance. These results establish KRTn4 as a bioinspired, self-assembling hydrogel with potent regenerative properties, offering a promising new approach for advanced wound healing applications.