Abstract
Skin wound healing is a complex and dynamic process that involves angiogenesis and growth factor secretion. Newly formed vessels can provide nutrition and oxygen for skin wound healing. Growth factors in skin wounds are important for keratinocytes and fibroblasts proliferation, epithelialization, extracellular matrix remodeling, and angiogenesis, which accelerate skin wound healing. Therefore, treatment strategies that enhance angiogenesis and growth factors secretion in skin wounds can accelerate skin wound healing. This study investigated the effects of a SIKVAV (Ser-Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val) peptide-modified chitosan hydrogel on skin wound healing. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining demonstrated that the SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel accelerated the re-epithelialization of wounds compared with that seen in the negative and positive controls. Masson’s trichrome staining showed that more collagen fibers were deposited in the skin wounds treated with the SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel than in the negative and positive controls. Immunohistochemistry assays demonstrated that more myofibroblasts were deposited and more angiogenesis occurred in skin wounds treated with the SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel than in the negative and positive controls. In addition, ELISA assays showed that the SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogels promoted the secretion of growth factors in skin wounds. Taken together, these results suggest that the SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel has the potential to be developed as synthesized biomaterials for the treatment of skin wounds.
Highlights
The skin is the largest organ of the human body, acting as a protective barrier against external disturbances
A SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel was successfully synthesized and applied as a wound dressing in a mouse model
Difference was found between the chitosan, and SIKVAV groups. These results demonstrate that the peptide SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogel can promote angiogenesis in skin wounds
Summary
The skin is the largest organ of the human body, acting as a protective barrier against external disturbances. Intact skin prevents pathogen intrusion, infection, water, and electrolyte loss, and regulates the body temperature [1,2]. Large-area full-thickness skin defects can cause serious clinical problems such as severe infections and shock caused by substantial water and electrolytes loss, which can potentially result in death. Skin wound healing is a complex and dynamic process that involves coagulation, inflammation, angiogenesis, epithelial regeneration, granulation tissue formation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and tissue remodeling [3]. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of skin wound healing is required to determine the most effective treatment [4]. The current skin wound treatment strategies include cytokine therapy, stem cell therapy, autograft, allograft, xenotransplantation, and tissue engineered skin substitutes [5]. Biomaterial-based wound dressings have recently drawn the attention of researchers
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