Fibroin Research Articles (Page 1)

Degradation of Silk fibroin (SF) provides essential nutrients such as amino acids and peptides for cell proliferation, but cannot provide a slow and sustained O2 release for osteoblastogenesis, which limits the bone repair effects. For the fabrication of highly personalized and complex bone repair scaffolds, 3D printing technology acts as a tailored tool for the clinical challenge. Therefore, we designed a SilMA/XLG/CaO2 scaffold system for O2 supply, which consists of modified photo-crosslinking SF (SilMA), lithium magnesium silicate (XLG) and CaO2. The combination of modified SF (SilMA) and lithium magnesium silicate (XLG) improves the printability and topological controllability, promoting vascularization and osteogenesis differentiation. Besides, the multi-dimensional modification of CaO2 enhances the mechanical properties of the scaffolds as well as the adjustability of the O2 release, providing favorable conditions for osteoblastogenesis. Most importantly, the topology and oxygen release of the 3D printed scaffolds synergistically induced neovascularization and osteoblast differentiation with Mg2+ generated by scaffold degradation. Mechanistically, SilMA/XLG/CaO2 upregulates of angiogenic factors VEGF, CD31, and key osteogenesis proteins RUNX2 and BMP-2, resulting in collagen production and calcium deposition. Overall, our study provides a new strategy for bioactive scaffold preparation that exhibits significant clinical potentials for complex bone defects.

Effectiveness of Silk Fibroin Dressing Compared to Saline Dressing on Wound Healing in Post-Laparotomy Patients with Superficial Surgical Site Infections: <i>A single-blinded randomised control trial</i>

This study investigates the synthesis of silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their application to cotton textiles to enhance functional properties for potential biomedical use. The nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical reduction and nanoprecipitation methods, and their formation and stability were confirmed through UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). Cotton fabrics were subsequently modified with SFNPs, AgNPs, and a combined SF-AgNPs formulation. Characterization confirmed the successful deposition and interaction of nanoparticles with cellulose fibers. The treated textiles demonstrated improved antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, along with enhanced antioxidant performance as evidenced by DPPH radical scavenging assays. Notably, the combined SF-AgNPs treatment exhibited synergistic effects, providing stronger antimicrobial durability and higher antioxidant capacity compared to single-nanoparticle treatments. These findings highlight the potential of SFNPs and AgNPs as effective nanomaterials for producing multifunctional, bioactive cotton textiles with promising applications in healthcare and biomedical fields.

A sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective iron-catalyzed olefin epoxidation is achieved by coordinating iron ions with silk fibroin (SF), a biocompatible protein derived from Bombyx mori cocoons. Unlike conventional systems based on complex ligands or synthetic supports, SF acts both as a support and as a recyclable ligand, efficiently coordinating iron through a simple aqueous process. The resulting SF-coordinated Iron system [Fe(SF)] promotes epoxidation of a broad range of olefins under mild conditions, with excellent yields and low metal loading. Notably, the system combines high activity with remarkable recyclability, and it can be easily regenerated. This work introduces a green, scalable strategy for iron catalysis, demonstrating the untapped potential of a natural polymer as a renewable ligand in heterogeneous catalysis.

Excessive exudate in chronic wounds increases the risk associated with tissue hydration, bacterial infection, and increased inflammation. While Janus dressings enable unidirectional exudate transport, current designs overlook the critical need for maintaining optimal wound humidity and providing on-demand antibacterial/anti-inflammatory treatment to support repair. To address this, a self-pumping trilayered dressing (GCSIP) is developed, integrating polyhexamethylene guanidine-grafted triglycidyl glycerol ether (PHMG-GTE)-modified cotton, ibuprofen-loaded silk fibroin (IBU/SF), and polyurethane (PU). This architecture achieves autonomous, unidirectional fluid transport and drug release via a controlled reflux mechanism triggered upon full saturation of the cotton layer. A precisely engineered microporous array (400 µm pores, 6mm spacing) is used to optimize directional transport and reflux efficiency. Upon saturation, partial reflux through the array facilitates the release of dissolved SF molecules and 87.6% of the encapsulated ibuprofen (IBU) within 72h. The released components significantly reduced TNF-α and IL-6 expression in M1 macrophages by 90.4% and 87.6%, respectively. The in vivo results demonstrate excellent biocompatibility and nearly complete wound healing within 15 days, with a residual wound area ratio of only 0.8%. This study establishes an on-demand exudate regulation and drug release mechanism for multifunctional dressings to accelerate wound recovery.

Novel silk fibroin/chitosan microgel for enhanced probiotic delivery: Improved stability, viability, and targeted release in gastrointestinal conditions.

The multi-scale porous and hydrophilic 3D printed polycaprolactone/ silk fibroin/ β-tricalcium phosphate bone scaffolds effect on femoral defect repair.

In situ forming silk fibroin hydrogel dressing accelerates acute wound healing via immunomodulation and extracellular matrix regeneration.

Photooxidation-induced pathway of amino acids cross-linking for 3D printing of silk fibroin/gelatin composite hydrogel.

Natural biomaterials for contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems.

Biomineralized silk fibroin hydrogel with ultra-high strength for supporting bodyweight-bearing bone defects.

Film with induced halochromic properties engineered by grafting neutral red on silk backbone.

Injectable light-cured and bioabsorbable silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid (SF-HA) hydrogel tissue barrier for accelerating guided bone regeneration.

Preparation and dynamic mechanical properties of densified carbon nanotube film modified with silk fibroin

High-charge-density triboelectric materials are the key to developing high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators. However, most semi-crystalline biopolymers exhibit low triboelectric output performance due to the limitations in their intrinsic structure and physicochemical properties. Herein, orientation-regulated silk fibroin nanofibers (SFNs) with phase transition polarization and enhanced carrier migration are developed through high-voltage and high-speed synergistic electrospinning technology. To analyze the molecular and aggregation structural changes of SFNs during high-voltage electric fields and stress-induced orientation processes, a multiscale structural evolutionary model is constructed from microscopic molecular chains to mesoscopic aggregation structures, and then to macroscopic fiber arrangements. It is found that as the orientation coefficient increases, the molecular conformation shifts from disordered α-helices to ordered stacked β-sheets. The aggregated molecular chains gradually slip, recombine, and arrange in an orderly manner along the direction of the stress field, which contributes to regulating the charge capture and carrier migration properties. The orientation-regulated SFNs significantly enhance the interfacial charge transfer and bulk charge transport capacity, thereby greatly improving the triboelectric performance. This work not only provides new insights into the mechano-electric conversion mechanisms of semi-crystalline biopolymers but also offers guidance for the design of high-charge-density triboelectric materials.

Aptamer-modified liposomes for targeted delivery of naringenin-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles in cancer therapy: Construction, in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Black phosphorus integrated self-assembled silk fibroin nanofibrous microspheres: Micro-hotbeds for accelerating bone regeneration

Engineered silk fibroin–new indocyanine green dye nanoassembly for photothermal image-guided breast cancer therapy

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is a biodegradable material with excellent biocompatibility and osteoinductive activity, showing great promise in bone repair applications. Although silk fibroin (SF) demonstrates osteogenic potential and SF-modified OCP has shown enhanced mineralization and osteogenesis in vitro, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, by combining cryo-transmission electron microscopy analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the SF-modified OCP is revealed that possesses a higher density of dislocations. The hydrophobic amino acid sequence of SF induced the formation of edge dislocations via an "adsorption-epitaxy-extrusion" mechanism, accompanied by changes in adsorption energy, which facilitated the transformation of OCP into hydroxyapatite (HAp) and enhanced osteoinduction. In vitro experiments further confirmed that SF-modified OCP enhanced cytocompatibility, promoted ALP and ARS activity, upregulated osteogenic gene expression, and strengthened osteogenic protein expression. This work proposed a novel strategy for modulating defect structures in bioceramics through organic molecules and demonstrated the potential of dislocation-engineered SF-OCP for bone defect repair.

Diagnosis of dengue virus infections typically relies on RT-PCR-based methods, for which reliable positive controls are essential. Viral RNA is an ideal positive control, but its inherent instability poses a major challenge. Herein, we report a simple and effective method for stabilizing dengue virus RNA by immobilizing it onto silk fibroin films (RNA-SFFs). We evaluated various substrate surfaces for RNA-SFFs preparation and found that the inner surface of sealable bags is optimal for uniform film formation and easy harvesting. Screening different silk fibroin concentrations revealed that even low concentrations (2.8%) effectively preserved RNA well and kept Ct constant for up to 16 days at 25 °C, 37 °C, and even 45 °C (extreme weather for transportations). Due to its rapid film formation and ease of peeling, 7% silk fibroin was selected. Notably, the RNA-SFFs demonstrated robust resistance to UV irradiation, with no significant Ct value changes after 4 h of exposure. Long-term stability testing at −20 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C showed that dengue serotype 1–4 RNA-SFFs remained stable for the entire duration of the study—up to 56 weeks (approximately 14 months)—at all tested temperatures. These results demonstrate that RNA-SFFs are highly stable, portable, and practical as positive controls for dengue diagnostics, with strong potential for use in on-site and resource-limited settings.