A Dual-Crosslinked Hydrogel Based on Gelatin Methacryloyl and Sulfhydrylated Chitosan for Promoting Wound Healing

Abstract

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Skin injuries, especially full-thickness injuries, are a major treatment challenge in clinical practice. Therefore, wound dressing materials with therapeutic effects have great practical significance in healthcare. This study used photocrosslinkable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and sulfhydrylated chitosan (CS-SH) to design a double-crosslinked hydrogel for wound dressing. When crosslinked together, the resulting hydrogels showed a highly porous inner structure, and enhanced mechanical properties and moisture retention capacity. The compression modulus of the GelMA/CS-SH hydrogel (GCH) reached up to about 40 kPa and was much higher than that of pure GelMA hydrogel, and the compression modulus was increased with the amount of CS-SH. In vitro study showed no cytotoxicity of obtained hydrogels. Interestingly, a higher concentration of CS-SH slightly promoted the proliferation of cells. Moreover, the double-crosslinked hydrogel exhibited antibacterial properties because of the presence of chitosan. In vivo study based on rats showed that full-thickness skin defects healed on the 15th day. Histological results indicate that the hydrogel accelerated the repair of hair follicles and encouraged the orderly growth of collagen fibers in the wound. Furthermore, better blood vessel formation and a higher expression of VEGFR were observed in the hydrogel group when compared with the untreated control group. Based on our findings, GCH could be a promising candidate for full-thickness wound dressing.

Highly Compressible, Superabsorbent, and Biocompatible Hybrid Cryogel Constructs Comprising Functionalized Chitosan and St. John’s Wort Extract

“…As a result, the HYP4 hybrid cryogel instantaneously regains its original shape (sample HYP4; Video S1). The compressive strength, strain, and elastic moduli depend on the swelling degree of 3D networks as well as their pore sizes. ,− Porous materials containing well-defined small pores exhibited an improvement of the compressive elastic moduli, while the presence of water in the gel networks increased the flexibility of polymer chains. The remarkable mechanical strength of the HYP4 hybrid cryogel in the swollen state can thus be associated with its well interconnected porous structure, with pore size ranging from 40 to 80 μm, which allows both rapid access to a large amount of water (4797% water absorption capacity; Figure A) and a sustained compression of about 84% (Table ).…”

Recent advances on 3D‐bioprinted gelatin methacrylate hydrogels for tissue engineering in wound healing: A review of current applications and future prospects

“…Complete skin injuries may be treated using a GelMA and sulfhydrylated chitosan hydrogel that has been shown in studies to retain moisture, be strong and be antibacterial. 67 Tao's group combined zinc nitrate, dopamine methacrylate and GelMA to make a hydrogel. 68 Zhang's team developed oxygen-regulating microneedles out of black phosphorus and haemoglobin to speed up the healing of diabetic wounds.…”

“…By combining GelMA with anti‐IL‐6, which inhibits the cytokine IL‐6, 66 Uehara et al (2019) improved skin transplant survival. Complete skin injuries may be treated using a GelMA and sulfhydrylated chitosan hydrogel that has been shown in studies to retain moisture, be strong and be antibacterial 67 …”

“…Complete skin injuries may be treated using a GelMA and sulfhydrylated chitosan hydrogel that has been shown in studies to retain moisture, be strong and be antibacterial. 67 …”

Lignin–Cobalt Nano-Enabled Poly(pseudo)rotaxane Supramolecular Hydrogel for Treating Chronic Wounds

“…Moreover, an ideal wound dressing should be able to absorb excess exudate while maintaining a moist environment that promotes regeneration [ 20 ]. In the past few years, hydrogels have gained increasing attention due to their ability to absorb large volumes of biological fluids and their potential to be loaded with different therapeutic agents, such as analgesic and antibacterial compounds, that can be released in a controlled fashion [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Among the diverse possibilities, physically crosslinked hydrogels are particularly interesting since they are obtained through reversible interactions (e.g., Van der Waals, hydrophobic, or ionic bonds) and form under mild conditions, thereby minimizing the risk of drug degradation or denaturation [ 24 ].…”