Topically Applied Biopolymer-Based Tri-Layered Hierarchically Structured Nanofibrous Scaffold with a Self-Pumping Effect for Accelerated Full-Thickness Wound Healing in a Rat Model
Kholoud H. Hamza,
Ahmed A. El-Shanshory,
Mona M. Agwa,
Mohamed I. Abo-Alkasem,
Esmail M. El-Fakharany,
Abdallah S. Abdelsattar,
Ali A. El-Bardan,
Taher S. Kassem,
Xiumei Mo,
Hesham M. A. Soliman
Affiliations
Kholoud H. Hamza
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Alexandria 21321, Egypt
Ahmed A. El-Shanshory
Composites and Nanostructured Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg Al-Arab, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Mona M. Agwa
Department of Chemistry of Natural and Microbial Products, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
Mohamed I. Abo-Alkasem
Department of Chemistry of Natural and Microbial Products, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
Esmail M. El-Fakharany
Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Abdallah S. Abdelsattar
Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza 12578, Egypt
Ali A. El-Bardan
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Alexandria 21321, Egypt
Taher S. Kassem
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, P.O. Box 426, Alexandria 21321, Egypt
Xiumei Mo
Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Hesham M. A. Soliman
Composites and Nanostructured Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg Al-Arab, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Wound healing has grown to be a significant problem at a global scale. The lack of multifunctionality in most wound dressing-based biopolymers prevents them from meeting all clinical requirements. Therefore, a multifunctional biopolymer-based tri-layered hierarchically nanofibrous scaffold in wound dressing can contribute to skin regeneration. In this study, a multifunctional antibacterial biopolymer-based tri-layered hierarchically nanofibrous scaffold comprising three layers was constructed. The bottom and the top layers contain hydrophilic silk fibroin (SF) and fish skin collagen (COL), respectively, for accelerated healing, interspersed with a middle layer of hydrophobic poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) containing amoxicillin (AMX) as an antibacterial drug. The advantageous physicochemical properties of the nanofibrous scaffold were estimated by SEM, FTIR, fluid uptake, contact angle, porosity, and mechanical properties. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity and cell healing were assessed by MTT assay and the cell scratching method, respectively, and revealed excellent biocompatibility. The nanofibrous scaffold exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against multiple pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, the in vivo wound healing and histological studies demonstrated complete wound healing in wounded rats on day 14, along with an increase in the expression level of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and a decrease in the expression level of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The results revealed that the fabricated nanofibrous scaffold is a potent wound dressing scaffold, and significantly accelerates full-thickness wound healing in a rat model.
