Functionalized silk fibroin dressing with topical bioactive insulin release for accelerated chronic wound healing

July 28, 2017

Title

Functionalized silk fibroin dressing with topical bioactive insulin release for accelerated chronic wound healing

Author

Xiufang Li, Yan Liu, Jian Zhang, Renchuan You, Jing Qu, Mingzhong Li

Year

2016

Journal

Materials Science and Engineering: C

Abstract

The healing of chronic wounds remains a key challenge in regenerative medicine. To promote wound healing, a bioactive wound dressing is required. In this study, a functionalized silk fibroin dressing with topical bioactive insulin release was prepared for the treatment of chronic wounds. For this purpose, insulin-encapsulated silk fibroin (SF) microparticles were prepared by coaxial electrospraying of aqueous SF solution under mild processing conditions. Insulin was successfully encapsulated in the inner layer of SF microparticles, providing a sustained insulin release for up to 28 days. It was found that the insulin released from the microparticles could maintain original molecular conformation. Moreover, the cell migration assay based on human keratinocyte and endothelial cells confirmed that the insulin released from SF microparticles retained its native bioactivity. Furthermore, the insulin-encapsulated microparticles were loaded into SF sponge, functioned as a bioactive wound dressing, and in vivo therapeutic effect of the sponge dressing was evaluated on dorsal full thickness wounds of diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. The results showed that insulin-functionalized SF dressing accelerated wound closure, collagen deposition and vascularization, thus, significantly promoted wound healing. The insulin-functionalized SF dressing provides new treatment options for chronic wounds.

Instrument

J-815

Keywords

Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Biochemistry, Materials