The essential protein element of spider silk ‘spidroin’was used to assess its impact on the wound-healing process.
Methods:
Spidroin nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer (PLGA/spidroin NPs) at different weight ratios (5: 1, 10: 1, 15: 1) and were in vitro characterized. The optimized NPs were tested in vitro for release and antibacterial activity. To assess wound-healing effects, NPs were topically applied on surgically induced injuries in Allolobophora caliginosa earthworms as a robust human skin model.
Results:
Optimized NPs (173±3 nm) revealed considerable antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. After 4 days of NPs application on wounds, macroscopical and histological examinations revealed a significant reduction in wound and re-epithelialization times.