Silk Fibroin-Based Scaffolds: Potential for Applications in Wound Healing

Abstract

Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, pose significant challenges due to their prolonged inflammation state, slow vascularization, lack of supportive matrix, and frequent recurrence. Biocompatible materials like silk fibroin (SF) and collagen can be promising in chronic wound healing applications due to their biocompatibility, and ability to act as supporting matrix necessary for tissue regeneration. This study explores the development and characterization of SF-based biomaterials in various formats, including gels, lyophilized scaffolds, and films, by combining them with collagen (Col) and heparin (Hep) molecules that are known for the wound-healing properties. SF gels, films, and lyophilized scaffolds were characterized for water retention capacity, porosity, contact angle, and antibacterial properties. Curcumin-loaded films reported moderate wetting behavior but were brittle, thin and hard. Freeze-dried scaffolds possessed higher water retention capacity compared to the sonicated gels and films, and showed a porous network structure, while the fabricated SF gels disintegrated in water. SF with a chelating agent demonstrated mild antibacterial properties, which were retained when combined with Collagen peptides and Heparin. The antimicrobial effect was significantly enhanced when SF+Col+Hep was added with antimicrobial agents such as Gentamicin and Ceftriaxone. The study concludes that SF-based scaffolds, particularly those incorporating collagen peptides and heparin, can be leveraged for molecular delivery application towards wound healing. Future research should focus on improving mechanical properties, measuring release kinetics of heparin and other biomolecules from SF-based lyophilized scaffolds, and conducting in vivo studies to validate the therapeutic value.