Bacterial colonization
of acute and chronic wounds is often associated
with delayed wound healing and prolonged hospitalization. The rise
of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the poor biocompatibility of
topical antimicrobials warrant safe and effective antimicrobials.
Antimicrobial agents that target microbial membranes without interfering
with the mammalian cell proliferation and migration hold great promise
in the treatment of traumatic wounds. This article reports the utility
of superhydrophilic electrospun gelatin nanofiber dressings (NFDs)
containing a broad-spectrum antimicrobial polymer, ε-polylysine
(εPL), crosslinked by polydopamine (pDA) for treating second-degree
burns. In a porcine model of partial thickness burns, NFDs promoted
wound closure and reduced hypertrophic scarring compared to untreated
burns. Analysis of NFDs in contact with the burns indicated that the
dressings trap early colonizers and elicit bactericidal activity,
thus creating a sterile wound bed for fibroblasts migration and re-epithelialization.
In support of these observations, in porcine models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus
aureus colonized partial thickness burns, NFDs decreased
bacterial bioburden and promoted wound closure and re-epithelialization.
NFDs displayed superior clinical outcome than standard-of-care silver
dressings. The excellent biocompatibility and antimicrobial efficacy
of the newly developed dressings in pre-clinical models demonstrate
its potential for clinical use to manage infected wounds without compromising
tissue regeneration.
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