A team of bioengineers at the National University of Science and Technology MISIS in Russia has developed a gel designed to accelerate wound healing, produced from a food-grade thickener derived from seaweed.
The product, according to Sputnik, helps cells combat the inflammation that occurs immediately after an injury and which, under unfavourable conditions, can impede skin regeneration.
The inflammatory phase of wound healing begins immediately after skin injury and can last between three and five days before giving way to the recovery phase. This stage is necessary for wound cleansing, without which the regeneration of damaged tissue cannot begin. The process can be disrupted by microorganisms, foreign bodies, or vascular problems, the researchers explained.
"If inflammation is prolonged, excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species accumulate in the tissues, damaging proteins, lipids, and other cellular molecules. This oxidative stress can have long-term consequences for human health," said Nikita Yabbarov, a participant in the project and assistant professor at the MISIS Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
The researcher further noted that prolonged inflammation is particularly dangerous in cases of chronic skin lesions. The university's bioengineers proposed the development of a hydrogel designed to combat oxidative stress and normalise the wound-healing process.
Its principal component is sodium alginate, which the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries extract from brown algae of the class Phaeophyceae.
To neutralise reactive oxygen species, the researchers added to the gel substances that function as a natural enzymatic defence mechanism of the body.
"Reactive oxygen species present in the body are neutralised by certain enzymes, including superoxide dismutase. We added metalloporphyrin, which acts in exactly the same way. To ensure that the greatest possible quantity of this substance reached the inflamed area, we encapsulated it and incorporated it into an alginate matrix," Yabbarov added.
The method allowed the metalloporphyrin to be released gradually into the wound during the first 24 hours following application of the hydrogel. According to the university, it is precisely during this period that cells are most exposed to oxidative stress.
"Another important result was the effect of the material on macrophages — cells of the immune system. These play a fundamental role in wound healing. Some types promote inflammation, while others, on the contrary, contribute to tissue regeneration," said Daria Zinovieva, project leader and student at the MISIS Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
According to the researcher, the developed hydrogel stimulated the transition of macrophages to a pro-regenerative state associated with the formation of new tissue and the conclusion of the inflammatory process.
In accordance with experimental results, the product showed no toxic effects on human skin cells. Cell viability remained high even after several days of contact with the hydrogel, which also demonstrated integrity and stability throughout that period.
The new hydrogel represents a starting point for the creation of modern biocompatible wound-healing coatings, according to Fiódor Senatov, director of the MISIS Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
"In the future, the technology could serve as a basis for materials intended for the recovery of skin and mucous membranes, in situations where it is necessary to control inflammation, protect cells against oxidative damage, and simultaneously stimulate natural regeneration processes," he stated.
The work was carried out under the strategic technology project "Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials", integrated within the Priority 2030 programme.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=530625
