Assessment of the Efficacy of an LL-37-Encapsulated Keratin Hydrogel for the Treatment of Full-Thickness Wounds.
Jelodari. Sahar S; Daemi. Hamed H; Mohammadi. Parvaneh P; Verdi. Javad J; J Al-Awady. Mohammed M; Ai. Jafar J; Azami. Mahmoud M
Key Findings
- A keratin hydrogel (25% oxidized keratin, 75% reduced keratin) released LL‑37 steadily and was soft enough (6‑32 kPa) for wound dressings.
- In vitro, the LL‑37 gel boosted fibroblast proliferation (~85% increase by day 7), cell adhesion (~90 cells per high‑power field), and migration (73% scratch closure in 12 h, full closure in 24 h).
- The gel eliminated both Gram‑negative and Gram‑positive bacteria within 18 h.
- In rats, wounds treated with the LL‑37 gel were >98% closed by day 21, with >30 new microvessels per high‑power field at day 14 and higher VEGF and IL‑6 mRNA levels.
Practical Outcomes
- For DIY health enthusiasts, this study suggests that a keratin‑based topical gel delivering LL‑37 could become a powerful wound‑healing product, especially for preventing infection and promoting faster tissue regeneration. However, the results are limited to animal models, so any human use would be experimental and should await clinical trials or validated DIY formulations.
Summary
Scientists made a skin‑like gel that slowly releases the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37. In rats with deep skin wounds, the gel helped skin cells grow, killed both Gram‑negative and Gram‑positive bacteria, and sped up healing so that wounds were almost completely closed by three weeks. Blood‑vessel growth in the wound area was also higher, which supports better tissue repair.
Abstract
Wound healing remains a burdensome healthcare problem due to moisture loss and bacterial infection. Advanced hydrogel dressings can help to resolve these issues by assisting and accelerating regenerative processes such as cell migration and angiogenesis because of the similarities between their composition and structure with natural skin. In this study, we aimed to develop a keratin-based hydrogel dressing and investigate the impact of the delivery of LL-37 antimicrobial peptide using this hydrogel in treating full-thickness rat wounds. Therefore, oxidized (keratose) and reduced (kerateine) keratins were utilized to prepare 10% (w/v) hydrogels with different ratios of keratose and kerateine. The mechanical properties of these hydrogels with compressive modulus of 6-32 kPa and tan δ <1 render them suitable for wound healing applications. Also, sustained release of LL-37 from the keratin hydrogel was achieved, which can lead to superior wound healing. <i>In vitro</i> studies confirmed that LL-37 containing 25:75% of keratose/kerateine (L-KO25:KN75) would result in significant fibroblast proliferation (∼85% on day 7), adhesion (∼90 cells/HPF), and migration (73% scratch closure after 12 h and complete closure after 24 h). Also, L-KO25:KN75 is capable of eradicating both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria after 18 h. According to <i>in vivo</i> assessment of L-KO25:KN75, wound closure at day 21 was >98% and microvessel density (>30 vessels/HPF at day 14) was significantly superior in comparison to other treatment groups. The mRNA expression of VEGF and IL-6 was also increased in the L-KO25:KN75-treated group and contributed to proper wound healing. Therefore, the LL-37-containing keratin hydrogel ameliorated wound closure, and also angiogenesis was enhanced as a result of LL-37 delivery. These results suggested that the L-KO25:KN75 hydrogel could be a sustainable substitute for skin tissue regeneration in medical applications.
Study Information
pubmed
2023
2023-05-24T00:00:00.000Z
10.1021/acsabm.2c01068
15
60