Fabrication of Sulfated Heterosaccharide/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogel Nanocomposite for Application as Wound Healing Dressing.

Yang Liu,Lihua Geng,Quanbin Zhang,Jing Wang,Ning Wu,Yang Yue

doi:10.3390/molecules27061801

Abstract

Nowadays, natural polysaccharides-based hydrogels have achieved promising results as dressings to promote skin healing. In the present study, we prepared a novel hydrogel nanocomposite with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and sulfated heterosaccharide (UF), named UPH. The SEM results showed that the UPH had dense porous structures with a high porosity and a specific surface area. The UPH had a good swelling property, which can effectively adsorb exudate and keep the wound moist. The in vitro experiments results showed that the UPH was non-cytotoxic and could regulate the inflammatory response and promote the migration of fibroblasts significantly. The phenotypic, histochemistry, and Western blot analyses showed UPH treatment accelerated the wound healing and recovery of skin tissue at wound sites in a C57BL/6 mouse model. Furthermore, the UPH could promote the inflammation process to onset earlier and last shorter than that in a normal process. Given its migration-promoting ability and physicochemical properties, the UPH may provide an effective application for the treatment and management of skin wounds.

Highlights

The skin is the largest organ by the surface area in the human body
Macrophages can express tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the early stage of the inflammation, which are crucial in wound healing [4]
Many studies have focused on the inflammatory regulation and the macrophage phenotypes expressed during wound healing following tissue injury [5,6]

Summary

Introduction

The skin is the largest organ by the surface area in the human body. It protects internal tissue from mechanical damage, microbial infection, ultraviolet radiation, and extreme temperatures [1–3]. The process of wound healing mainly includes the following four stages: haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, as well as migration and maturation [3]. These stages involve systematic actions of various cells and the fluctuation of cytokine levels [1]. Many studies have focused on the inflammatory regulation and the macrophage phenotypes expressed during wound healing following tissue injury [5,6]

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion