Sericin/Human Placenta-Derived Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Cutaneous Wound Treatment—Preparation, Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Analyses

Abstract

Human placenta is loaded with an enormous amount of endogenous growth factors, thereby making it a superior biomaterial for tissue regeneration. Sericin is a naturally occurring silk protein that is extensively used for biomedical applications. In the present work, sericin and human placenta-derived extracellular matrix were blended and fabricated in the form of scaffolds using the freeze-drying method for cutaneous wound treatment. The prepared sericin/placenta-derived extracellular matrix (SPEM) scaffolds were characterized to determine their morphology, functional groups, mechanical strength, and antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscopic analysis of the scaffolds showed smooth surfaces with interconnected pores. In vitro MTT and scratch wound assays performed using HaCaT cells proved the non-toxic and wound-healing efficacy of SPEM scaffolds. In vivo CAM assay using fertilized chick embryos proved the angiogenic potency of the scaffolds. Animal experiments using Wistar albino rats proved that the open excision wounds treated with SPEM scaffolds significantly reduced wound size with collagen deposition. These results confirm that SPEM scaffolds can serve as a promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration.

Melatonin/Sericin Wound Healing Patches: Implications for Melanoma Therapy

“…In comparison, sericin was used most often as a polymer in combinations with polyvinyl alcohol [237], carboxymethyl cellulose [243], sodium carboxymethylcellulose and polyvinyl alcohol [237], poly lactide-co-glycolic acid [251], PVA/chitosan [253], PVA/collagen [252], poly (Nisopropylacrylamide) [244], polyurethane/chitosan [242], poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [247], polycaprolactone/cellulose acetate/fibroin [254], poly (ethylene terephthalate)-gpoly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) (PET-g-HEMA) nanofibers [255], and poly(Σ-caprolactone)/ poly(ethylene oxide) [259]. Less often occurring polymers used in combinations with sericin were gelatin [257], fibroin [258], cellulose [248], collagen/fibrin [246], placentaderived extracellular matrix [238], silk fiber [239], and cellulose/silk nonwoven fabric [245]. Sericin used separately as a matrix was relatively rare, probably because of its mechanical properties [260,261].…”

“…When applied as a polymer of the matrix, it was used in combination with resveratrol [239], turmeric [243], silver nanoparticles [255], poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles [257] as the active ingredients. Although sericin also constituted the main substance in the wound healing patches over the years 2021-2023 , it was effectively used in combinations with human placenta [238], silver [244], collagen [246] or azithromycin [250] to increase the efficacy of wound-healing dressings (Figure 3).…”

“…In recent years, wound healing patches containing sericin have been the center of attention (Table 2). Sericin as a component of the matrix appeared next to polymers: poly (vinyl alcohol) [236], sodium carboxy-methyl-cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol [237], placentaderived extracellular matrix [238], silk fiber [239], PVA/chitosan [240], PVA [241], robust alcohol, polyurethane/chitosan [242], carboxymethyl cellulose [243], poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) [244], cellulose/silk nonwoven fabric [245], collagen-fibrin [246], poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [247], cellulose [248], carboxymethyl cellulose as hydrogels [249], cellulose/poly(vinyl alcohol) [250], poly lactide-co-glycolic acid [251], PVA/collagen [252], PVA/chitosan [253], polycaprolactone/cellulose acetate/fibroin [254], poly(ethyleneterephhalate)-g-poly (hydroxyethylmethacrylate, PET-g-HEMA) nanofibers [255], sericin/chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol [256], gelatin [257], fibroin [258], poly(Σ-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene oxide) [259]. There are also sericin-based patches with only sericin or sericin treated with HRP/H 2 O 2 as a matrix, but in significantly smaller amounts [260,261].…”

“…There are also sericin-based patches with only sericin or sericin treated with HRP/H 2 O 2 as a matrix, but in significantly smaller amounts [260,261]. The main active substances in those inventions included resveratrol [239], turmeric [243], silver nanoparticles [255], poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles [257], and sericin as a sole ingredient [260,261] or in combinations with human placenta [238], silver [244], collagen [246] or azithromycin [250]. The applications of sericin-polymer patches in recent years involved wound treatment [238,239,[243][244][245]249,250,252,254,257,259,261], including acute [237] and infected large burn wounds [236], artificial skin [242], wound dressings [240,241,248,253,255,258], tissue engineering [247], regenerative scaffolds [246], and periodontal tissue engineering [251].…”

“…The composition of the wound healing patches in the years 2021-2023 was mostly a combination of natural and synthetic components, where sericin was the natural ingredient. There were also fully natural patches designed from sericin and human placenta [238], as well as the combination of sericin and collagen [246].…”