Tailoring the growth and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts by DNA‐based polymer films for skin regeneration

Abstract

The use of DNA as a functional biomaterial for therapeutic, diagnostic, and drug delivery applications has been prominent in recent years, but its use as a scaffold for tissue regeneration is still limited. This study aimed to evaluate the biocompatibility and interaction of DNA‐based polymeric films (DNA‐PFs) with primary human fibroblasts (PHF) for regenerative medicine and wound healing purposes. The morphological characterization of the films was performed by scanning electron microscopy, SEM–energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy analysis. Cell viability, cell cycle kinetics, oxidative stress, and migration studies were carried out at 48 and 72 hr of incubation and compared to control cells. Cell adhesion was impaired in the first 24 hr, DNA‐PFs with higher concentrations of DNA (1.0 and 2.0 g/L) this effect was not seen in DNA‐PFs (0.5 g/L), explained by the difference in topography and roughness of DNA‐PFs, but it was overcome after 48 hr of incubation. PHF seeded on DNA films showed higher proliferation and migration rates than the control after 48 hr of incubation, with the maintenance of cell morphology and lower cytotoxicity and oxidative stress during the evaluation time. Therefore, these results indicate that DNA‐PFs are highly biocompatible and provide a suitable microenvironment for dermal fibroblasts to maintain their activity, helping build new and more complex biomaterials suitable for future tissue repair applications.