Physico-chemical characterization of Antheraea mylitta silk mats for wound healing applications

G H Darshan,Julien Gautrot,Shyamkumar Vootla,Dexu Kong

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10531-7

G H Darshan, Julien Gautrot + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10531-7

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Abstract

In the field of plastic reconstructive surgery, development of new innovative matrices for skin repair is in demand. The ideal biomaterial should promote attachment, proliferation and growth of cells. Additionally, it should degrade in an appropriate time period without releasing harmful substances, not exerting a pathological immune response. The materials used should display optimized mechanical properties to sustain cell growth and limit scaffold contraction. Wound healing is a biological process directed towards restoration of tissue that has suffered an injury. An important phase of wound healing is the generation of a basal epithelium wholly replacing the epidermis of the wound. Wild silk from Antheraea mylitta meets these demands to a large extent. To evaluate the effects of the treatment, Antheraea mylitta and Bombyx mori samples were characterized by SEM-EDX, FT-IR, XRD and TGA-DSC techniques. Preliminary cell growth behavior was carried out by culturing epidermal cells and proliferation was quantified via viability assay. Moreover, Antheraea mylitta possesses excellent cell-adhesive capability, effectively promoting cell attachment and proliferation. Antheraea mylitta serves as a delivery vehicle for cells. With all these unique features, it is expected that Antheraea mylitta mat will have wide utility in the areas of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Highlights

One goal in the field of biomaterials is to fabricate matrices that mimic the structure and biological function of the extracellular matrix (ECM)[1]
This study presents a simple methodology enabling the deposition of silk mats of A. mylitta and the study of the physico-chemical as well as surface properties of the A. mylitta and B. mori silks, with the aim to determine the suitability of wild silk mats as a biocompatible potential substratum for supporting cell adhesion and proliferation
We examined A. mylitta and B. mori silk mat in in vitro culture systems to determine whether this material supported the growth of human immortalized keratinocyte (HaCaTs) cells

Summary

Introduction

One goal in the field of biomaterials is to fabricate matrices that mimic the structure and biological function of the extracellular matrix (ECM)[1]. Collagen fibres organize into a three-dimensional matrix structured at multiple length scales to confer robust mechanical properties to the ECM as well as promote cell adhesion[2, 3]. The scaffolds designed for tissue regeneration and wound healing need to accomplish similar functions (mechanical structure and promoting cell adhesion) in order to guide cell phenotypes such as proliferation and differentiation. Natural and synthetic polymers and a hybrid of both have been used widely for the design of biocompatible materials for applications as skin grafts. In the last few decades, silk has been exploited as a potential biomaterial in tissue engineering applications for its various desirable properties such as cell attachment, cytocompatibilty, biodegradability, enhanced mechanical and tensile strength, as well as versatile processing options, in order to meet tissue-specific requirements. Sericin becomes immunogenic only when it is associated with fibroin[29]

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