Nanofiber Dressings Research Articles

Tailor-made curdlan based nanofibrous dressings enable diabetic wound healing

The development and application of novel polysaccharides that can improve diabetic wound healing is crucial. Dressings containing curdlan have the potential to promote healing in diabetic wounds, but the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In addition, the functional modifications that could further enhance the activity of curdlan in promoting diabetic wound healing have not been explored. Herein, we investigated the capabilities of curdlan (CU) and its four derivatives i.e., sulfated curdlan (SC), amino-curdlan (AC) carboxymethyl curdlan (CMC) and CMC/ZnO nanocomposites for diabetic wound healing. Pristine CU and its derivatives were blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to fabricate electrospun nanofiber dressings (ENDs) with uniform appearances. The PVA/CU, PVA/CMC and PVA/CMC-ZnO ENDs were more compatible with keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and macrophages than that of PVA/AC ENDs. Notably, PVA/CMC ENDs and PVA/CMC-ZnO ENDs exhibited superior wound healing efficiencies than other ENDs. Among various dressings, PVA/CU, PVA/SC, PVA/CMC ENDs effectively reduced M1 macrophages and facilitated M2 phenotype at early stage of diabetic wound healing. Collectively, the PVA/CMC ENDs demonstrated greater therapeutic potential against diabetic wounds compared to other modified scaffolds via regulating macrophage polarization.

Phloretin@cyclodextrin/natural silk protein/polycaprolactone nanofiber wound dressing with antioxidant and antibacterial activities promotes diabetic wound healing

In patients with diabetes, chronic hyperglycemia impairs immune function at wound sites, increasing susceptibility to infections, prolonging inflammation, and delaying healing. This study aimed to develop wound dressings that control bacterial infections and accelerate healing. Phloretin (PHL), which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, was encapsulated with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) to form a PHL@CD complex with enhanced bioavailability. This complex was incorporated into nanofiber wound dressings composed of polycaprolactone and natural silk protein. The resulting dressings exhibited favorable physical and chemical properties, including nutrient transport and gas exchange, which are essential for wound healing. The nanofiber membranes exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (90.31 ± 4.41 % inhibition), with high antioxidant capacity (91.48 ± 0.33 % ABTS scavenging) and blood compatibility. The membranes also promoted cell viability. Importantly, the nanofiber dressings accelerated wound healing in a diabetic mouse model by reducing the duration of inflammation. The novel nanofiber wound dressing can significantly improve the treatment of diabetic wounds.

Bioinspired shape-changing nanofiber dressings for intelligent wrapping and promoting healing of superficial wounds

The use of dressings in clinical settings is common for the purpose of wound wrapping and creating an optimal microenvironment to enhance the healing process. Proper coverage of wounds with dressings serves as the fundamental basis for effective wound healing. Unfortunately, non-standard coverage by hands can cause pain and secondary damage to patients, while slow manual application during treatment of extensive burns may increase the risk of wound infection. Herein, drawing inspiration from the microstructure and hygroscopic deformation observed in pine cones, we propose a polyvinyl alcohol/polysulfone (PVA/PSF) smart dressing. This bioinspired smart dressing exhibits rapid bending deformation under high moisture condition, allowing easy adjustment of bending amplitude, speed, and direction. Moreover, the smart dressing is capable of rapid bending and autonomous wrapping around “artificial wounds” on a doll’s body, as well as fitting irregularly shaped “hand wounds” and extensive “arm wounds” on human subjects. By integrating two layers into one dressing design, we endow it with dual functionality: The hygroscopic PVA layer facilitates transversal liquid transport to effectively reduce exudate accumulation in the wound bed while maintaining proper moisture levels; meanwhile, the highly hydrophobic PSF layer repels various aqueous solutions to protect against external contaminants. In vivo results confirm that this multifunctional smart dressing promotes collagen synthesis and accelerates angiogenesis for accelerated wound healing. We believe that this innovative multifunctional approach to wound management will provide valuable insights into wound healing therapy.

Recent Progress of Electrospun Nanofiber Dressing in the Promotion of Wound Healing.

The nanofiber materials of three-dimensional spatial structure synthesized by electrospun have the characteristics of high porosity, high specific surface area, and high similarity to the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) of the human body. These are beneficial for absorbing wound exudate, effectively blocking the invasion of external bacteria, and promoting cell respiration and proliferation, which provides an ideal microenvironment for wound healing. Moreover, electrospun nanofiber dressings can flexibly load drugs according to the condition of the wound, further promoting wound healing. Recently, electrospun nanofiber materials have shown promising application prospects as medical dressings in clinical. Based on current research, this article reviewed the development history of wound dressings and the principles of electrospun technology. Subsequently, based on the types of base material, polymer-based electrospun nanofiber dressing and electrospun nanofiber dressing containing drug-releasing factors were discussed. Furthermore, the application of electrospun nanofiber dressing on skin tissue is highlighted. This review aims to provide a detailed overview of the current research on electrospun nanomaterials for wound healing, addressing challenges and suggesting future research directions to advance the field of electrospun dressings in wound healing.

The Influence of Gamma Radiation on Different Gelatin Nanofibers and Gelatins.

Gelatin nanofibers are known as wound-healing biomaterials due to their high biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-antigenic properties compared to synthetic-polymer-fabricated nanofibers. The influence of gamma radiation doses on the structure of gelatin nanofiber dressings compared to gelatin of their origin is little known, although it is very important for the production of stable bioactive products. Different-origin gelatins were extracted from bovine and donkey hides, rabbit skins, and fish scales and used for fabrication of nanofibers through electrospinning of gelatin solutions in acetic acid. Nanofibers with sizes ranging from 73.50 nm to 230.46 nm were successfully prepared, thus showing the potential of different-origin gelatin by-products valorization as a lower-cost alternative to native collagen. The gelatin nanofibers together with their origin gelatins were treated with 10, 20, and 25 kGy gamma radiation doses and investigated for their structural stability through chemiluminescence and FTIR spectroscopy. Chemiluminescence analysis showed a stable behavior of gelatin nanofibers and gelatins up to 200 °C and increased chemiluminescent emission intensities for nanofibers treated with gamma radiation, at temperatures above 200 °C, compared to irradiated gelatins and non-irradiated nanofibers and gelatins. The electron paramagnetic (EPR) signals of DMPO adduct allowed for the identification of long-life HO● radicals only for bovine and donkey gelatin nanofibers treated with a 20 kGy gamma radiation dose. Microbial contamination with aerobic microorganisms, yeasts, filamentous fungi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans of gelatin nanofibers treated with 10 kGy gamma radiation was under the limits required for pharmaceutical and topic formulations. Minor shifts of FTIR bands were observed at irradiation, indicating the preservation of secondary structure and stable properties of different-origin gelatin nanofibers.

Design and Assessment of Boswellia Nanofibers for Diabetes Wound Healing

Diabetic wounds present a major healthcare challenge because they frequently result in serious side effects and chronic, non-healing ulcers. The application of nanotechnology in the creation of sophisticated wound dressings has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in accelerating the healing of wounds. Particularly, nanofiber-based dressings have drawn interest because of their large surface area, porosity, and capacity to replicate the extracellular matrix, which creates the perfect surroundings for attachment of cells, growth, and differentiation. This review emphasizes the various materials and methods utilized in the preparation of nanofiber dressings, with a particular focus on their application in the treatment of diabetic wounds. Herbs and plant extracts are among the synthetic and natural polymers that have been added to nanofibers to improve their medicinal qualities. These materials provide mechanical support and possess bioactive components that promote wound healing, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Boswellia resin from Boswellia serrata, PVP, and PCL was obtained, and nanofibers were electrospinning to form them. The formulated nanofibers were further evaluated for entrapment efficiency, swelling index and moisture content. The in-vitro study showed formulation NF3 has the highest drug release. scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed a uniform surface of nanofiber mat.

Study on synergistic mechanism of molybdenum disulfide/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose composite nanofiber mats for photothermal/photodynamic antibacterial treatment

Innovative antibacterial therapies using nanomaterials, such as photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) treatments, have been developed for treating wound infections. However, creating secure wound dressings with these therapies faces challenges. The primary focus of this study is to prepare an antibacterial nanofiber dressing that effectively incorporates stable loads of functional nanoparticles and demonstrates an efficient synergistic effect between PTT and PDT. Herein, a composite nanofiber mat was fabricated, integrating spherical molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoparticles. MoS2 was deposited onto polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber mats using vacuum filtration, which was further stabilized by sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) adhesion and glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking. The composite nanofibers demonstrated synergistic antibacterial effects under NIR light irradiation, and the underlying mechanism was explored. They induce bacterial membrane permeability, protein leakage, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation, ultimately leading to >95 % antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), which is higher than that of single thermotherapy (almost no antibacterial activity) or ROS therapy (about 80 %). In addition, the composite nanofiber mats exhibited promotion effects on infected wound healing in vivo. This study demonstrates the great prospects of composite nanofiber dressings in clinical treatment of bacterial-infected wounds.

Anti-adhesive and antibacterial chitosan/PEO nanofiber dressings with high breathability for promoting wound healing

Wound dressings are crucial for wound healing. Ideal wound dressings should possess many functions such as wettability, antibacterial activity and anti-adherent property to promote wound healing. In the present study solution blown spinning (SBS) technology was applied to prepare chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CS/PEO) nanofiber dressings in high efficiency. The obtained nanofiber dressings were treated with anhydrous ethanol to improve the fiber structure and enhance the functionality of the fiber dressings. The results show that the treated nanofibers had higher crystallinities and higher CS contents. The CS/PEO nanofiber dressings fabricated by using no additives and crosslinking had excellent wettability, water stability and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus reached to over 99.99 %. In addition, the CS/PEO nanofiber dressings exhibited high breathability, antioxidant activity and anti-adhesion function. The in vivo animal experiment confirmed that the nanofiber dressings enhanced cell proliferation and significantly accelerated the wound healing within 10 days. The developed CS/PEO nanofiber dressings have great potential in the clinical field of wound healing.

An in situ dressing material containing a multi‐armed antibiotic for healing irregular wounds

AbstractAcute and infected wounds resulting from accidents, battlefield trauma, or surgical interventions have become a global healthcare burden due to the complex bacterial infection environment. However, conventional gauze dressings present insufficient contact with irregular wounds and lack antibacterial activity against multi‐drug‐resistant bacteria. In this study, we develop in situ nanofibrous dressings tailored to fit wounds of various shapes and sizes while providing nanoscale comfort and excellent antibacterial properties. Our approach involves the fabrication of these dressings using a handheld electrospinning device that allows for the direct deposition of nanofiber dressings onto specific irregular wound sites, resulting in perfect conformal wound closure without any mismatch in 2 min. The nanofibrous dressings are loaded with multi‐armed antibiotics that exhibit outstanding antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin‐resistant S. aureus. Compared to conventional vancomycin, this in situ nanofibrous dressing shows great antibacterial performance against up to 98% of multi‐drug‐resistant bacteria. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate the ability of in situ nanofibrous dressings to prevent multi‐drug‐resistant bacterial infection, greatly alleviate inflammation, and promote wound healing. Our findings highlight the potential of these personalized nanofibrous dressings for clinical applications, including emergency, accident, and surgical healthcare treatment.

Engineered, Radially Aligned, Gradient-Metformin-Eluting Nanofiber Dressings Accelerate Burn-Wound Healing.

Deep, second- and third-degree burn injuries may lead to irreversible damage to the traumatized tissue and to coagulation or thrombosis of the microvessels, further compromising wound healing. Engineered, morphologically gradient drug-eluting nanofiber dressings promote wound healing by mimicking tissue structure and providing sustained drug delivery, which is particularly beneficial for wound management. This study exploited a resorbable, radially aligned nanofiber dressing that provides the sustained gradient release of metformin at the wound site using a pin-ring electrospinning technique and a differential membrane-thickness approach. The experimental results suggested that the electrospun nanofibrous dressings exhibited uniform and radially oriented fiber distributions. In vitro, these dressings offered an extended release of metformin for 30 d. The incorporation of water-soluble metformin significantly enhanced the hydrophilicity of the nanofiber membranes. Moreover, the in vivo burn-wound-healing model of rats showed that the radially aligned gradient metformin-eluting poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers exhibited significantly superior healing capability compared to the pristine PLGA, metformin-eluting, and control dressings. Histological images showed that the mesh/nanofibers produced no adverse effects. The findings in this study emphasize the potential of resorbable, radially aligned nanofiber dressings as advanced wound care solutions, offering broad applicability and meaningful clinical impact.

Recent progress of electrospun nanofibers as burning dressings.

Burns are a global public health problem, which brings great challenges to public health and the economy. Severe burns often lead to systemic infection, shock, multiple organ failure, and even death. With the increasing demand for the therapeutic effect of burn wounds, traditional dressings have been unable to meet people's needs due to their single function and many side effects. In this context, electrospinning shows a great prospect on the way to open up advanced wound dressings that promote wound repairing and prevent infection. With its large specific surface area, high porosity, and similar to natural extracellular matrix (ECM), electrospun nanofibers can load drugs and accelerate wound healing. It provides a promising solution for the treatment and management of burn wounds. This review article introduces the concept of burn and the types of electrospun nanofibers, then summarizes the polymers used in electrospun nanofiber dressings. Finally, the drugs (plant extracts, small molecule drugs and nanoparticles) loaded with electrospun burn dressings are summarized. Some promising aspects for developing commercial electrospun burn dressings are proposed.

Nanofiber-based wound dressing in wound healing of elderly patients.

With the aging of the population, it has become a serious problem that the wounds of elderly patients are not easy to heal. To explore the application of nanofiber wound dressing in wound healing of elderly patients. In this article, 86 elderly patients with chronic wounds admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to September 2023 were enrolled, and they were randomly divided into control and experimental groups, with 43 cases in each group. Controls used traditional wound dressings in care. The experimental group used nanofiber wound dressings. The wound healing efficacy, inflammatory factors, side effects, wound infection degree, healing time, and pain were compared between the two groups. The total effective rate of the experimental group (97.67%) was higher as against controls (86.04%). Wound germiculture positive (7.14 ±2.76%) was lower in the experimental group as against controls (22.13 ±3.27%. The wound healing time of the experimental group (18.68 ±5.78 d) was shorter as against controls (30.24 ±6.19 d). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the experimental group (2.68 ±0.41 s) was lower as against controls (3.57 ±0.89 s) after 16 days of care (p < 0.05). The use of nanofiber dressings is an effective means to promote wound healing in elderly patients, which is worthy of application in practical care.

Study on the application of functional nanofiber membrane in wound tissue engineering

Aiming at the characteristics of wounds prone to infection and long healing period in the healing process, the functional nanofiber dressings with functions of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, rapid healing, drug slow release, tissue replacement, and exudate absorption are introduced, combined with the wound healing process and classified by the structure of commonly used nanofiber dressings. The research progress of nanofiber dressings in recent years is outlined, as its future development direction prospects.

20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3-loaded polyurethane/marine polysaccharide based nanofiber dressings improved burn wound healing potentials

The management of deep burn injuries is extremely challenging, ascribed to their delayed wound healing rate, susceptibility for bacterial infections, pain, and increased risk of hypertrophic scarring. In our current investigation, a series of composite nanofiber dressings (NFDs) based on polyurethane (PU) and marine polysaccharides (i.e., hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan, HACC and sodium alginate, SA) were accomplished by electrospinning and freeze-drying protocols. The 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) was further loaded into these NFDs to inhibit the formation of excessive wound scars. The PU/HACC/SA/Rg3 dressings showed a sandwich-like structure. The Rg3 was encapsulated in the middle layers of these NFDs and slowly released over 30 days. The PU/HACC/SA and PU/HACC/SA/Rg3 composite dressings demonstrated superior wound healing potentials over other NFDs. These dressings also displayed favorable cytocompatibility with keratinocytes and fibroblasts and could dramatically accelerate epidermal wound closure rate following 21 days of the treatment of a deep burn wound animal model. Interestingly, the PU/HACC/SA/Rg3 obviously reduced the excessive scar formation, with a collagen type I/III ratio closer to the normal skin. Overall, this study represented PU/HACC/SA/Rg3 as a promising multifunctional wound dressing, which promoted the regeneration of burn skins and attenuated scar formation.

In Situ Electrospinning of "Dry-Wet" Conversion Nanofiber Dressings for Wound Healing.

Rapid wound dressings provide an excellent solution strategy for the treatment of wounds in emergency situations. In this study, aqueous solvent-based PVA/SF/SA/GelMA nanofiber dressings fabricated by a handheld electrospinning device could deposit quickly and directly on the wound, perfectly fitting wounds with various sizes. Using an aqueous solvent overcame the disadvantage of using the current organic solvents as the medium for rapid wound dressings. The porous dressings had excellent air permeability to ensure smooth gas exchange at the wound site. The distribution range of the tensile strength of the dressings was 9-12 Kpa, and the tensile strain was between 60-80%, providing sufficient mechanical support during wound healing. The dressings could absorb 4-8 times their own weight in solution and could rapidly absorb wound exudates from wet wounds. The nanofibers formed ionic crosslinked hydrogel after absorbing exudates, maintaining the moist condition. It formed a hydrogel-nanofiber composite structure with un-gelled nanofibers and combined the photocrosslinking network to maintain a stable structure at the wound location. The in vitro cell culture assay indicated that the dressings had excellent cell cytocompatibility, and the addition of SF contributed to cell proliferation and wound healing. The in situ deposited nanofiber dressings had excellent potential in the urgent treatment of emergency wounds.

Nanofiber Dressings; A Quantum Leap in the World of Wound Healing

Nanofiber Dressings; A Quantum Leap in the World of Wound Healing

Advances in the Preparation of Nanofiber Dressings by Electrospinning for Promoting Diabetic Wound Healing.

Chronic diabetic wounds are one of the main complications of diabetes, manifested by persistent inflammation, decreased epithelialization motility, and impaired wound healing. This will not only lead to the repeated hospitalization of patients, but also bear expensive hospitalization costs. In severe cases, it can lead to amputation, sepsis or death. Electrospun nanofibers membranes have the characteristics of high porosity, high specific surface area, and easy functionalization of structure, so they can be used as a safe and effective platform in the treatment of diabetic wounds and have great application potential. This article briefly reviewed the pathogenesis of chronic diabetic wounds and the types of dressings commonly used, and then reviewed the development of electrospinning technology in recent years and the advantages of electrospun nanofibers in the treatment of diabetic wounds. Finally, the reports of different types of nanofiber dressings on diabetic wounds are summarized, and the method of using multi-drug combination therapy in diabetic wounds is emphasized, which provides new ideas for the effective treatment of diabetic wounds.

Electrospun Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofiber Dressings Loaded with Bioactive Ursolic Acid Promoting Diabetic Wound Healing.

The design and development of novel dressing materials are urgently required for the treatment of chronic wounds caused by diabetic ulcers in clinics. In this study, ursolic acid (UA) extracted from Chinese herbal plants was encapsulated into electrospun nanofibers made from a blend of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to generate innovative CS-PVA-UA dressings for diabetic wound treatment. The as-prepared CS-PVA-UA nanofiber mats exhibited randomly aligned fiber morphology with the mean fiber diameters in the range of 100–200 nm, possessing great morphological resemblance to the collagen fibrils which exist in the native skin extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber mats were found to possess good surface hydrophilicity and wettability, and sustained UA release behavior. The in vitro biological tests showed that the high concentration of UA could lead to slight cytotoxicity. It was also found that the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressings could significantly reduce the M1 phenotypic transition of macrophages that was even stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and could effectively restore the M2 polarization of macrophages to shorten the inflammatory period. Moreover, the appropriate introduction of UA into CS-PVA nanofibers decreased the release levels of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory factors, and suppressed oxidative stress responses by reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well. The results from mouse hepatic hemorrhage displayed that CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing possessed excellent hemostatic performance. The in vivo animal experiments displayed that the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing could improve the closure rate, and also promote the revascularization and re-epithelization, as well as the deposition and remodeling of collagen matrix and the regeneration of hair follicles for diabetic wounds. Specifically, the mean contraction rate of diabetic wounds using CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing could reach 99.8% after 18 days of treatment. In summary, our present study offers a promising nanofibrous dressing candidate with multiple biological functions, including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, pro-angiogenesis, and hemostasis functions, for the treatment of hard-to-heal diabetic wounds.

A novel biomedical compatibilizer (polyvinyl alcohol‐allyl polyethylene glycol graft copolymer) for polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene oxide composite system

AbstractDue to biocompatibility and similar extracellular matrix structure, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofiber membranes are an essential medical dressing. However, the phase separation of the PVA/PEO composite system will occur within a short time. It severely limits the continuous preparation of PVA/PEO nanofiber membranes. To make PVA/PEO composite system maintain compatibility, a novel polyvinyl alcohol‐allyl polyethylene glycol (PVA‐g‐APEG) graft copolymer with phase change, compatibilization and biocompatibility was prepared successfully. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) prove that the copolymerization and alcoholysis reaction allyl polyethylene glycol (APEG) and vinyl acetate (VAc) successfully obtained PVA‐g‐APEG graft copolymer. The prepared PVA‐g‐APEG not only has electrospinability but can effectively prevent the phase separation of PVA/PEO composite system, which ensures the continuity of electrospinning in the industry. Additionally, the feasibility of the PVA‐g‐APEG compatibilized PVA/PEO composite system for application in biomedical was verified through the preparation and various assessments of PVA‐g‐APEG/PVA/PEO nanofiber dressings. The prepared PVA‐g‐APEG is beneficial to the PVA/PEO composite system to broaden its application in biomedical and other fields.

Localized Controlled Release of Kynurenic Acid Encapsulated in Synthetic Polymer Reduces Implant-Induced Dermal Fibrosis.

Excessive fibrosis following surgical procedures is a challenging condition with serious consequences and no effective preventive or therapeutic option. Our group has previously shown the anti-fibrotic effect of kynurenic acid (KynA) in vitro and as topical cream formulations or nanofiber dressings in open wounds. Here, we hypothesized that the implantation of a controlled release drug delivery system loaded with KynA in a wound bed can prevent fibrosis in a closed wound. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and a diblock copolymer, methoxy polyethylene glycol-block-poly (D, L-lactide) (MePEG-b-PDLLA), were used for the fabrication of microspheres which were evaluated for their characteristics, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release profile, and in vivo efficacy for reduction of fibrosis. The optimized formulation exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (>80%), low initial burst release (~10%), and a delayed, gradual release of KynA. In vivo evaluation of the fabricated microspheres in the PVA model of wound healing revealed that KynA microspheres effectively reduced collagen deposition inside and around PVA sponges and α-smooth muscle actin expression after 66 days. Our results showed that KynA can be efficiently encapsulated in PLGA microspheres and its controlled release in vivo reduces fibrotic tissue formation, suggesting a novel therapeutic option for the prevention or treatment of post-surgical fibrosis.