Preparation of pro-angiogenic, antibacterial and EGCG-modified ZnO quantum dots for treating bacterial infected wound of diabetic rats

A multifunctional composite nanoparticle with antibacterial activities, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenesis for diabetic wound healing

The treatment of chronic diabetic wounds remains challenging due to the rapid bacterial infection, severe inflammation, and insufficient angiogenesis. To address these challenges, a novel multifunctional composite nanoparticle is developed by co-assembling antisolvent-induced co-assembling silk-fibroin ε-poly-l-Lysine nanoparticles (nSF-EPL) and further assembling nSF-EPL with polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) and exosome derived from human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (Exo). Owing to the modification of EPL, PDRN and Exo, composite nanoparticles exhibited synergistic antibacterial action, anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis, which can significantly benefit for promoting wound healing. Release results show that the composite nanoparticles exhibit long-term sustained PDRN and Exo release profiles as well as outstanding release efficiency. Furthermore, in vitro studies show that the composite nanoparticles exhibit effective antibacterial activity, thus inducing an anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages phenotype and promoting angiogenesis. In vivo research results of investigations pertaining to diabetic wound healing show that the composite nanoparticles have good anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis capabilities, which can promote granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, wound tissue epithelialization, and significantly accelerate skin healing. This study presents a promising strategy for the clinical treatment of chronic diabetic wounds.

A Review of Metal Nanoparticles Embedded in Hydrogel Scaffolds for Wound Healing In Vivo

An evolving field, nanotechnology has made its mark in the fields of nanoscience, nanoparticles, nanomaterials, and nanomedicine. Specifically, metal nanoparticles have garnered attention for their diverse use and applicability to dressings for wound healing due to their antimicrobial properties. Given their convenient integration into wound dressings, there has been increasing focus dedicated to investigating the physical, mechanical, and biological characteristics of these nanoparticles as well as their incorporation into biocomposite materials, such as hydrogel scaffolds for use in lieu of antibiotics as well as to accelerate and ameliorate healing. Though rigorously tested and applied in both medical and non-medical applications, further investigations have not been carried out to bring metal nanoparticle-hydrogel composites into clinical practice. In this review, we provide an up-to-date, comprehensive review of advancements in the field, with emphasis on implications on wound healing in in vivo experiments.

Natural and biocompatible dressing unit based on tea carbon dots modified core-shell electrospun fiber for diabetic wound disinfection and healing

Wound infection and healing in patients with diabetes is one of the complex problems in trauma treatment. Therefore, designing and preparing an advanced dressing membrane for treating the wounds of such patients is essential. In this study, a zein film with biological tea carbon dots (TCDs) and calcium peroxide (CaO₂) as the main components for promoting diabetic wound healing was prepared by an electrospinning technique, which combines the advantages of natural degradability and biosafety. CaO₂ is a biocompatible material with a microsphere structure that reacts with water to release hydrogen peroxide and calcium ions. TCDs with a small diameter were doped in the membrane to mitigate its properties while improving the antibacterial and healing effects of the membrane. TCDs/CaO₂ was mixed with ethyl cellulose-modified zein (ZE) to prepare the dressing membrane. The antibacterial properties, biocompatibility and wound-healing properties of the composite membrane were investigated by antibacterial experiment, cell experiment and a full-thickness skin defect. TCDs/CaO₂ @ZE exhibited significant anti-inflammatory and wound healing-promoting properties in diabetic rats, without any cytotoxicity. This study is meaningful in developing a natural and biocompatible dressing membrane for diabetic wound healing, which shows a promising application in wound disinfection and recovery in patients with chronic diseases.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate improves the biocompatibility of bone substitutes in dental pulp stem cells

BACKGROUND

The Biocompatibility between osteoprogenitor cells and bone substitutes is necessary for cell differentiation and osteogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro effect of bovine (Geistlich BioOss®), porcine (OsteoBiol Gen-Os®) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (Cerasorb M®) bone substitutes, and their combination with polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), upon cultured dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs).

METHODS

The DPSCs were isolated from third molars extracted from healthy individuals and seeded with 5 mg/ml of Bio-Oss® (BO), Gen-Os® (GO) and Cerasorb® (CE) in combination with EGCG 1 μM. The effects were evaluated based on cell viability / cytotoxicity assay (MTT, cell viability staining test), cell migration, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.

RESULTS

BO and CE produced negative effects upon cell viability and migration, and GO and CE resulted in deficient cell adhesion. On the other hand, all the biomaterials exerted no negative effects upon ALP activity. Interestingly, the addition of EGCG reverted the cytotoxic effect and the loss of migration capacity in the BO and CE groups, and improved cell adhesion in the GO and CE groups. Furthermore, EGCG promoted an overall increased in ALP activity.

CONCLUSION

The addition of EGCG to the tested biomaterials BO, GO and CE reverts their negative impact on DPSCs, and improves their biocompatibility with cultured DPSCs. The use of EGCG, thus, appears to be a promising strategy for restoring and enhancing the osteoconductive properties of BO, GO and CE in bone regeneration treatments.

Proteomics and Metabolomics Analysis Reveals the Toxicity of ZnO Quantum Dots on Human SMMC-7721 Cells

Purpose

ZnO quantum dots (QDs) are composed of less toxic metals than other QDs but have the same interesting photochemical properties. Thus, they have received considerable attention recently. Nevertheless, their toxicity cannot be ignored.

Methods

In this study, we incubated ZnO QDs with human SMMC-7721 cells for 24 h to assess their nanotoxicity through proteomics (Fold change >1.5 and p-value <0.05) and metabolomics (Fold change ≥ 1.5; VIP ≥ 1; p-value < 0.05) analyses.

Results

Both of 174 and 219 significantly changed metabolites were identified in human SMMC-7721 cells treated with 20 and 50 µg/mL ZnO QDs, respectively. ZnO QDs significantly modified metabolic pathways, including purine metabolism, ferroptosis, morphine addiction, alcoholism, cGMP-PKG signaling, and Cushing syndrome. Moreover, we identified 105 and 8 differentially expressed proteins in cells treated with 20 and 50 µg/mL ZnO QDs, and the pathways of alcoholism and Cushing syndrome were enriched.

Conclusion

ZnO QDs did not affect cell viability in a CCK8 assay, but disturbed the level of intracellular metabolites and proteins at 20 µg/mL. The KEGG analyses of the metabolomics and proteomics data both enriched the alcoholism and Cushing syndrome pathways. These results provide an experimental basis for future research on the safe use of nanomaterials.

Effect of composite biodegradable biomaterials on wound healing in diabetes

The repair of diabetic wounds has always been a job that doctors could not tackle quickly in plastic surgery. To solve this problem, it has become an important direction to use biocompatible biodegradable biomaterials as scaffolds or dressing loaded with a variety of active substances or cells, to construct a wound repair system integrating materials, cells, and growth factors. In terms of wound healing, composite biodegradable biomaterials show strong biocompatibility and the ability to promote wound healing. This review describes the multifaceted integration of biomaterials with drugs, stem cells, and active agents. In wounds, stem cells and their secreted exosomes regulate immune responses and inflammation. They promote angiogenesis, accelerate skin cell proliferation and re-epithelialization, and regulate collagen remodeling that inhibits scar hyperplasia. In the process of continuous combination with new materials, a series of materials that can be well matched with active ingredients such as cells or drugs are derived for precise delivery and controlled release of drugs. The ultimate goal of material development is clinical transformation. At present, the types of materials for clinical application are still relatively single, and the bottleneck is that the functions of emerging materials have not yet reached a stable and effective degree. The development of biomaterials that can be further translated into clinical practice will become the focus of research.

Physicochemical Properties and Antibacterial Activity of Gellan Gum Incorporating Zinc Oxide/Carbon Nanotubes Bionanocomposite Film for Wound Healing

Wound healing dressing based on a natural polymer of gellan gum incorporating zinc oxide nanoparticles and multiwall carbon nanotubes (GG/ZnONP + MWCNT) bionanocomposite film was fabricated via the solution casting method. The physicochemical properties of the film were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the antibacterial properties of the bionanocomposite film were investigated for wound healing applications. The characterization results confirmed the reinforcement of the gellan gum (GG) matrix with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), as an amorphous GG/ZnONP + MWCNT bionanocomposite film was obtained. SEM morphological analysis shows that the addition of ZnONP and MWCNT nanofillers changed the film microstructure into a sponge-like structure that is more suitable for fluid uptake and thus more useful for wound healing. The GG/ZnONP + MWCNT bionanocomposite film demonstrated good antibacterial activity against all strains tested. Furthermore, macroscopic analysis shows that the wound treated with GG/ZnONP + MWCNT bionanocomposite film recovered completely (100%) in 14 days, compared to pure GG film (90.76%) and negative control (77.40%). As a result, the GG/ZnONP + MWCNT bionanocomposite film could be a promising wound dressing material.