Injectable Polypeptide‐Protein Hydrogels for Promoting Infected Wound Healing

Recently, Lianfu Deng , Wenguo Cui and others from the Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine have used the mimetic extracellular matrix feature of bovine serum albumin, injectable polypeptide‐protein hydrogels with vascularization and antibacterial abilities are constructed successfully via coordinative cross‐linking of sulfydryl groups with silver ions (Ag+) for the regeneration of infected wound.

Protein is the key composition of all tissues, which can perform many life-sustaining functions, such as the organization of biological tissue structure and metabolic enzymatic reactivity, and in most cases their function is directly related to their folded 3D structure. Protein has excellent biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, and has been widely used in tissue engineering. However, natural proteins often lack active functions such as vascularization, osteoinduction and neural differentiation, which limits their further application as functional biomaterials. The protein hydrogel constructed by researchers has broken through the limitations of natural protein and expanded its application in tissue engineering.

In this protein hydrogel system, (Ag+), acting as crosslinkers, can not only provide a sterile microenvironment and a strong and robust antibacterial ability but also introduce K2(SL)6K2 (KK) polypeptide, which endows the hydrogel with vascularization behavior.

Furthermore, the in vivo data show that the polypeptide‐protein hydrogel has a considerable collagen deposition and vascularization abilities in the early stage of wound healing, resulting in rapid new tissue regeneration featured with newly appeared hair follicles.

Altogether, this newly developed multifunctional 3D polypeptide‐protein hydrogel with vascularization, antibacterial properties, and hair follicle promotion can be a promising approach in biomedical fields such as infected wound healing.

Related Links: BSA

References: Liang Cheng, Zhengwei Cai, Tingjun Ye, Wenguo Cui, Lianfu Deng. Et al., Injectable Polypeptide-Protein Hydrogels for Promoting Infected Wound Healing. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 2001196.https: //doi.org /10.1002/adfm.202001196