Silk-enriched hydrogels with ROS-scavenging dendrimers for advanced wound care

M R Islam; M S Manir; M Razzak; M A Mamun; M F Mortuza; M J Islam; Shumin Yang; Huachun Pan; A K M M Alam; Quazi T H Shubhra

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135567

Silk-enriched hydrogels with ROS-scavenging dendrimers for advanced wound care

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Sep 15;280(Pt 1):135567. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135567. Online ahead of print.

Authors

M R Islam¹, M S Manir¹, M Razzak¹, M A Mamun², M F Mortuza³, M J Islam⁴, Shumin Yang⁵, Huachun Pan⁵, A K M M Alam⁶, Quazi T H Shubhra⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technology, AERE, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.
² Materials Science Division, AECD, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.
³ Gamma Source Division, IFRB, AERE, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.
⁴ Veterinary Drug Residue Analysis Division, IFRB, AERE, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.
⁵ College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
⁶ Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technology, AERE, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh. Electronic address: akmmalam@baec.gov.bd.
⁷ Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technology, AERE, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh; Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia in Katowice, Szkolna 9, 40-003, Katowice, Poland; Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China. Electronic address: shubhro.du@gmail.com.

PMID: 39288850
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135567

Abstract

This study explores the development of novel hydrogel composites for wound care, incorporating silk fibroin and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging dendrimers into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. Utilizing ionizing gamma radiation, we fabricated pristine PVA, silk-PVA (SPVA) binary, and dendrimer-silk-PVA (DSPVA) ternary hydrogel composites, with their composition confirmed via UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy analyses indicated complex interactions between the hydrogel components, enhancing their structural and biocompatible properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that dendrimer integration in DSPVA hydrogels significantly increased surface porosity, vital for tissue regeneration. The DSPVA hydrogels demonstrated effective ROS scavenging, reducing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations by approximately 70 % within 24 h. In vivo wound healing studies in a diabetic mouse model showed enhanced wound closure in the DSPVA group, with a relative wound area reduction to 30 ± 4.3 % on day 10, compared to 56.5 ± 2.7 % in the control group. By the 16th day, the treated group exhibited near-complete wound contraction, markedly outperforming the control group. These findings underscore the potential of DSPVA hydrogels in diabetic wound management, combining silk fibroin's mechanical support, dendrimers' antioxidative properties, and PVA's structural benefits. Thus, DSPVA hydrogels are promising candidates for advanced wound care applications.

Keywords: Diabetic wound; Hydrogel; Silk.