Gelatin Hydrogels Loaded with Lactoferrin-Functionalized Bio-Nanosilver as a Potential Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm Dressing for Infected Wounds: Synthesis, Characterization, and Deciphering of Cytotoxicity

Green synthesis of a lactoferrin-infused silver nanoparticle gel for enhanced wound healing

The study analyzed the benefits of nano-silver (AgNPs) in reducing side effects and enhancing efficacy, highlighting the advantages compared to silver ions. The study examined the production of AgNPs-lactoferrin complexes (AgNPs-LTF) using bovine lactoferrin (LTF) at 1, 2, and 4 mM concentrations. The objective was to create an AgNPs-LTF gel with Carbopol as the base and assess its effectiveness in enhancing wound healing in rats. UV-Vis, PL, FTIR, and XRD analyses confirmed the synthesis of AgNPs. Microscopic examinations (TEM and SEM) showed mainly spherical AgNPs in the AgNPs-LTF samples, with diameters between 11 and 27 nm. The AgNPs-LTF gel with biologically processed AgNPs demonstrated effective infection control and enhanced wound healing outcomes. In Sprague-Dawley rats, the 4 mM AgNPs-LTF gel demonstrated significant wound closure, achieving complete closure by day 10, exceeding the healing rates of both the LTF and control groups. The AgNPs-LTF complex demonstrated high robustness and exceeded the performance of native LTF, exhibiting similar toxicity levels to AgNPs. The study shows the effectiveness of AgNPs-LTF gel in wound treatment, indicating its potential as a viable treatment option.

Lactoferrin as a Versatile Agent in Nanoparticle Applications: From Therapeutics to Agriculture

Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a potent choice for various applications, from drug delivery to agricultural studies, serving as an alternative and promising methodology for future advancements. They have been widely explored in delivery systems, demonstrating immense promise and high efficiency for the delivery of numerous biomolecules such as proteins and anticancer agents, either solely or modified with other compounds to enhance their capabilities. In addition, the utilization of NPs extends to antimicrobial studies, where they are used to develop novel antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral formulations with advanced characteristics. Lactoferrin (Lf) is a glycoprotein recognized for its significant multifunctional properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. Its activity has a broad distribution in the human body, with Lf receptors present in multiple regions. Current research shows that Lf is utilized in NP technology as a surface material, encapsulated biomolecule, and even as an NP itself. Due to the abundance of Lf receptors in various regions, Lf can be employed as a surface material in NPs for targeted delivery strategies, particularly in crossing the BBB and targeting specific cancers. Furthermore, Lf can be synthesized in an NP structure, positioning it as a strong candidate in future NP-related applications. In this article, we explore the highlighted and underexplored areas of Lf applications in NPs research.

Intrinsic antimicrobial resistance: Molecular biomaterials to combat microbial biofilms and bacterial persisters

The escalating rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) coupled with a declining arsenal of new antibiotics is imposing serious threats to global public health. A pervasive aspect of many acquired AMR infections is that the pathogenic microorganisms exist as biofilms, which are equipped with superior survival strategies. In addition, persistent and recalcitrant infections are seeded with bacterial persister cells at infection sites. Together, conventional antibiotic therapeutics often fail in the complete treatment of infections associated with bacterial persisters and biofilms. Novel therapeutics have been attempted to tackle AMR, biofilms, and persister-associated complex infections. This review focuses on the progress in designing molecular biomaterials and therapeutics to address acquired and intrinsic AMR, and the fundamental microbiology behind biofilms and persisters. Starting with a brief introduction of AMR basics and approaches to tackling acquired AMR, the emphasis is placed on various biomaterial approaches to combating intrinsic AMR, including (1) semi-synthetic antibiotics; (2) macromolecular or polymeric biomaterials mimicking antimicrobial peptides; (3) adjuvant effects in synergy; (4) nano-therapeutics; (5) nitric oxide-releasing antimicrobials; (6) antimicrobial hydrogels; (7) antimicrobial coatings. Particularly, the structure-activity relationship is elucidated in each category of these biomaterials. Finally, illuminating perspectives are provided for the future design of molecular biomaterials to bypass AMR and cure chronic multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections.

Marine-derived bioactive materials as antibiofilm and antivirulence agents

Microbial infections are major human health issues, and, recently, the mortality rate owing to bacterial and fungal infections has been increasing. In addition to intrinsic and extrinsic antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, biofilm formation is a key adaptive resistance mechanism. Several bioactive compounds from marine organisms have been identified for use in biofilm therapy owing to their structural complexity, biocompatibility, and economic viability. In this review, we discuss recent trends in the application of marine natural compounds, marine-bioinspired nanomaterials, and marine polymer conjugates as possible therapeutic agents for controlling biofilms and virulence factors. We also comprehensively discuss the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation and inhibition of virulence factors by marine-derived materials and propose possible applications of novel and effective antibiofilm and antivirulence agents.

A versatile LTF-GO/gel hydrogel with antibacterial and antioxidative attributes for skin wound healing

Skin wound healing will become a pressing and difficult problem following injury to the skin structure. Persistent wounds, in particular, become more vulnerable to bacterial infections, which can contribute to persistent skin inflammation. Therefore, it is critical to create a wound dressing that promotes wound healing while also being antimicrobial. In the present work, a multifunctional biological activity hydrogel formed by enzymatic cross-linking was developed by introducing graphene oxide (GO) and lactoferrin to gelatin hydrogel. Furthermore, by incorporating lactoferrin, the composite hydrogels exhibit excellent in vitro antibacterial and biocompatibility. According to cell experiments, the LTF-GO/Gel hydrogel can improve wound healing by enhancing L929 cell migration. Interestingly, under near-infrared light, LTF-GO/Gel hydrogel increases the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (-OH), making the hydrogel system excellent antioxidant and antibacterial capabilities, these results demonstrate that the LTF-GO/Gel hydrogel has clinical promise as a wound dressing for wound healing. In vivo experiments unequivocally establish the capacity of the LTF-GO/Gel hydrogel to expedite wound healing and mitigate inflammation. This hydrogel, therefore, harbors immense potential for applications in wound healing.

Advancements in gelatin-based hydrogel systems for biomedical applications: A state-of-the-art review

A gelatin-based hydrogel system is a stimulus-responsive, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymeric system with solid-like rheology that entangles moisture in its porous network that gradually protrudes to assemble a hierarchical crosslinked arrangement. The hydrolysis of collagen directs gelatin construction, which retains arginyl glycyl aspartic acid and matrix metalloproteinase-sensitive degeneration sites, further confining access to chemicals entangled within the gel (e.g., cell encapsulation), modulating the release of encapsulated payloads and providing mechanical signals to the adjoining cells. The utilization of various types of functional tunable biopolymers as scaffold materials in hydrogels has become highly attractive due to their higher porosity and mechanical ability; thus, higher loading of proteins, peptides, therapeutic molecules, etc., can be further modulated. Furthermore, a stimulus-mediated gelatin-based hydrogel with an impaired concentration of gellan demonstrated great shear thinning and self-recovering characteristics in biomedical and tissue engineering applications. Therefore, this contemporary review presents a concise version of the gelatin-based hydrogel as a conceivable biomaterial for various biomedical applications. In addition, the article has recapped the multiple sources of gelatin and their structural characteristics concerning stimulating hydrogel development and delivery approaches of therapeutic molecules (e.g., proteins, peptides, genes, drugs, etc.), existing challenges, and overcoming designs, particularly from drug delivery perspectives.

Biomedical and Nutritional Applications of Lactoferrin

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a glycoprotein belonging to the transferrin family, which can be found in mammalian milk. It was first isolated from bovine milk in the 1930s, and later in the 1960s, it was determined from human milk. This multifunctional protein has the specific ability to bind iron. It plays various biological roles, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-tumour, anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. There are several studies describing its use against in various cancer cell lines (e.g., liver, lung and breast) and the glycoprotein has even been reported to inhibit the development of experimental metastases in mice. Previous studies also suggest Lf-mediated neuroprotection against age-related neurodegenerative diseases and it is also expected to attenuate aging. More recently, Lf has been proposed as a potential approach in COVID-19 prophylaxis. In this review, we discuss the recent developments about the biological activities of this pleiotropic glycoprotein that will reason the exploitation of its biomedical and supplementary nutritional value.

Antibacterial, Anti-Biofilm and Pro-Migratory Effects of Double Layered Hydrogels Packaged with Lactoferrin-DsiRNA-Silver Nanoparticles for Chronic Wound Therapy

Antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation in diabetic foot infections worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in more severe infections and increased amputations. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a dressing that could effectively aid in the wound healing process and prevent bacterial infections by exerting both antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and lactoferrin (LTF) have been investigated as alternative antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents, respectively, while dicer-substrate short interfering RNA (DsiRNA) has also been studied for its wound healing effect in diabetic wounds. In this study, AgNPs were complexed with LTF and DsiRNA via simple complexation before packaging in gelatin hydrogels. The formed hydrogels exhibited 1668% maximum swellability, with a 46.67 ± 10.33 µm average pore size. The hydrogels demonstrated positive antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects toward the selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The hydrogel containing AgLTF at 125 µg/mL was also non-cytotoxic on HaCaT cells for up to 72 h of incubation. The hydrogels containing DsiRNA and LTF demonstrated superior pro-migratory effects compared to the control group. In conclusion, the AgLTF-DsiRNA-loaded hydrogel possessed antibacterial, anti-biofilm, and pro-migratory activities. These findings provide a further understanding and knowledge on forming multipronged AgNPs consisting of DsiRNA and LTF for chronic wound therapy.

The Use of Proteins, Lipids, and Carbohydrates in the Management of Wounds

Despite the fact that skin has a stronger potential to regenerate than other tissues, wounds have become a serious healthcare issue. Much effort has been focused on developing efficient therapeutical approaches, especially biological ones. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the wound healing process, the classification of wounds, and the particular characteristics of each phase of the repair process. We also highlight characteristics of the normal process and those involved in impaired wound healing, specifically in the case of infected wounds. The treatments discussed here include proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Proteins are important actors mediating interactions between cells and between them and the extracellular matrix, which are essential interactions for the healing process. Different strategies involving biopolymers, blends, nanotools, and immobilizing systems have been studied against infected wounds. Lipids of animal, mineral, and mainly vegetable origin have been used in the development of topical biocompatible formulations, since their healing, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties are interesting for wound healing. Vegetable oils, polymeric films, lipid nanoparticles, and lipid-based drug delivery systems have been reported as promising approaches in managing skin wounds. Carbohydrate-based formulations as blends, hydrogels, and nanocomposites, have also been reported as promising healing, antimicrobial, and modulatory agents for wound management.

Hybrid gum tragacanth/sodium alginate hydrogel reinforced with silver nanotriangles for bacterial biofilm inhibition

Biomaterial associated bacterial infections are indomitable to treatment due to the rise in antibiotic resistant strains, thereby triggering the need for new antibacterial agents. Herein, composite bactericidal hydrogels were formulated by incorporating silver nanotriangles (AgNTs) inside a hybrid polymer network of Gum Tragacanth/Sodium Alginate (GT/SA) hydrogels. Physico-chemical examination revealed robust mechanical strength, appreciable porosity and desirable in vitro enzymatic biodegradation of composite hydrogels. The antibacterial activity of AgNT-hydrogel was tested against planktonic and biofilm-forming Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. For all the strains, AgNT-hydrogel showed a dose-dependent decrease in bacterial growth. The addition of AgNT-hydrogels (40-80 mg ml^-1) caused 87% inhibition of planktonic biomass and up to 74% reduction in biofilm formation. Overall, this study proposes a promising approach for designing antibacterial composite hydrogels to mitigate various forms of bacterial infection.

Nanobiotechnology: Applications in Chronic Wound Healing

Wounds occur when skin integrity is broken and the skin is damaged. With progressive changes in the disease spectrum, the acute wounds caused by mechanical trauma have been become less common, while chronic wounds triggered with aging, diabetes and infection have become more frequent. Chronic wounds now affect more than 6 million people in the United States, amounting to 10 billion dollars in annual expenditure. However, the treatment of chronic wounds is associated with numerous challenges. Traditional remedies for chronic wounds include skin grafting, flap transplantation, negative-pressure wound therapy, and gauze dressing, all of which can cause tissue damage or activity limitations. Nanobiotechnology — which comprises a diverse array of technologies derived from engineering, chemistry, and biology — is now being applied in biomedical practice. Here, we review the design, application, and clinical trials for nanotechnology-based therapies for chronic wound healing, highlighting the clinical potential of nanobiotechnology in such treatments. By summarizing previous nanobiotechnology studies, we lay the foundation for future wound care via a nanotech-based multifunctional smart system.

Production and Characterization of a Coconut Oil Incorporated Gelatin-Based Film and Its Potential Biomedical Application

The influence of coconut oil (CO) on a gelatin-based film was investigated when used as a potential wound dressing material. There is limited study on CO in protein-based wound dressing materials. Therefore, in this study a self-supporting, continuous and homogenous CO incorporated gelatin-based film was formulated and obtained by solution casting method. The influence of CO on physicochemical and thermal properties of gelatin-based film was also determined. Moreover, the effect CO in gelatin films on cell viability and cell migration was analysed with a preliminary cell culture study. Homogenous dispersion of 10% (w/w) CO was obtained in films when 3% (v/w) Tween 80, a surfactant, was incorporated to 20% (w/w) plasticized gelatin film forming solution. Effect of CO on gelatin-based film was observed via phase separation by SEM analysis. Water uptake of gelatin film with no CO, GE film; and 10% (w/w) CO incorporated GE film, GE-CO, were 320% and 210%, respectively, after 3 hours in water. FTIR analysis showed triglyceride component of CO and increased hydrogen bonding between NH groups of gelatin in GE-CO films. DSC results suggested a more ordered structure of GE-CO film due to an increase in melt-like transition temperature and melting enthalpy of GE-CO film. CO content also increased cell viability, assessed by XTT Assay since cell viability was approximately 100% when L929 cell culture was incubated with GE-CO of 5-100 μg/mL. Moreover, GE-CO samples within 5-25 μg/mL concentration range, increased proliferation of L929 cells since cell viability was significantly higher than the 100% viable cell culture control (P < 0.05) which is also an indication of efficient healing. However, GE decreased viability of L929 cells significantly at 100-10 μg/mL concentration range (P < 0.05) and were toxic at concentrations of 100, 75 and 50 μg/mL which decreased ∿50% of the viability of the cells. Scratch Assay to assess in vitro wound healing showed cell migration towards scratch after 24 h as an indication of wound healing only in GE-CO samples. This study showed that, CO could efficiently be added to gelatin-based films for preparation of a primary wound dressing biomaterial which is also demonstrated to have a promising wound healing effect for minor wounds.

Dual-Layered Approach of Ovine Collagen-Gelatin/Cellulose Hybrid Biomatrix Containing Graphene Oxide-Silver Nanoparticles for Cutaneous Wound Healing: Fabrication, Physicochemical, Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Characterisation

Tissue engineering products have grown rapidly as an alternative solution available for chronic wound and burn treatment. However, some drawbacks include additional procedures and a lack of antibacterial properties that can impair wound healing, which are issues that need to be tackled effectively for better wound recovery. This study aimed to develop a functionalized dual-layered hybrid biomatrix composed of collagen sponge (bottom layer) to facilitate cell proliferation and adhesion and gelatin/cellulose hydrogel (outer layer) incorporated with graphene oxide and silver nanoparticles (GC-GO/AgNP) to prevent possible external infections post-implantation. The bilayer hybrid scaffold was crosslinked with 0.1% (w/v) genipin for 6 h followed by advanced freeze-drying technology. Various characterisation parameters were employed to investigate the microstructure, biodegradability, surface wettability, nanoparticles antibacterial activity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility of the bilayer bioscaffold towards human skin cells. The bilayer bioscaffold exhibited favourable results for wound healing applications as it demonstrated good water uptake (1702.12 ± 161.11%), slow rate of biodegradation (0.13 ± 0.12 mg/h), and reasonable water vapour transmission rate (800.00 ± 65.85 gm−2 h−1) due to its porosity (84.83 ± 4.48%). The biomatrix was also found to possess hydrophobic properties (48.97 ± 3.68°), ideal for cell attachment and high mechanical strength. Moreover, the hybrid GO-AgNP promoted antibacterial properties via the disk diffusion method. Finally, biomatrix unravelled good cellular compatibility with human dermal fibroblasts (>90%). Therefore, the fabricated bilayer scaffold could be a potential candidate for skin wound healing application.

Advances in the Sensing and Treatment of Wound Biofilms

Wound biofilms represent a particularly challenging problem in modern medicine. They are increasingly antibiotic resistant and can prevent the healing of chronic wounds. However, current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the complexity of the biofilm environment. In this review, we present new chemical avenues in biofilm sensors and new materials to treat wound biofilms, offering promise for better detection, chemical specificity, and biocompatibility. We briefly discuss existing methods for biofilm detection and focus on novel, sensor-based approaches that show promise for early, accurate detection of biofilm formation on wound sites and that can be translated to point-of-care settings. We then discuss technologies inspired by new materials for efficient biofilm eradication. We focus on ultrasound-induced microbubbles and nanomaterials that can both penetrate the biofilm and simultaneously carry active antimicrobials and discuss the benefits of those approaches in comparison to conventional methods.

Advances in the Sensing and Treatment of Wound Biofilms

Wound biofilms represent a particularly challenging problem in modern medicine. They are increasingly antibiotic resistant and can prevent the healing of chronic wounds. However, current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the complexity of the biofilm environment. In this review, we present new chemical avenues in biofilm sensors and new materials to treat wound biofilms, offering promise for better detection, chemical specificity, and biocompatibility. We briefly discuss existing methods for biofilm detection and focus on novel, sensor-based approaches that show promise for early, accurate detection of biofilm formation on wound sites and that can be translated to point-of-care settings. We then discuss technologies inspired by new materials for efficient biofilm eradication. We focus on ultrasound-induced microbubbles and nanomaterials that can both penetrate the biofilm and simultaneously carry active antimicrobials and discuss the benefits of those approaches in comparison to conventional methods.

Lactoferrin-Functionalized Noble Metal Nanoparticles as New Antivirals for HSV-2 Infection

(1) Background: Lactoferrin has been recognized as a potent inhibitor of human herpetic viruses, such as herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2). In this work, we tested if silver and gold nanoparticles modified with lactoferrin (LF-Ag/AuNPs) can become novel microbicides with additional adjuvant properties to treat genital herpes infection. (2) Methods: The antiviral and cytotoxic activities of LF-Ag/AuNPs were tested in human skin HaCaT and vaginal VK-2-E6/E7 keratinocytes. Viral titers and immune responses after treatment with LF-Ag/AuNPs were tested in murine vaginal HSV-2 infection. (3) Results: LF-Ag/AuNPs inhibited attachment and entry of HSV-2 in human keratinocytes much better than lactoferrin. Furthermore, pretreatment with LF-AgNPs led to protection from infection. Infected mice treated intravaginally with LF-Ag/AuNPs showed lower virus titers in the vaginal tissues and spinal cords in comparison to treatment with lactoferrin. Following treatment, vaginal tissues showed a significant increase in CD8+/granzyme B + T cells, NK cells and dendritic cells in comparison to NaCl-treated group. LF-Ag/AuNPs-treated animals also showed significantly better expression of IFN-γ, CXCL9, CXCL10, and IL-1β in the vaginal tissues. (4) Conclusions: Our findings show that LF-Ag/AuNPs could become effective novel antiviral microbicides with immune-stimulant properties to be applied upon the mucosal tissues.

Nanoparticle-Hydrogel Systems Containing Platensimycin for Local Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Skin and soft tissue infections require effective and sustained topical administration. Platensimycin (PTM) is a natural drug lead that targets bacterial fatty acid synthases and has a great potential to treat infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). To facilitate the use of PTM against local MRSA infections, we prepared polyacrylamide hydrogels containing polyamidoamine (PAMAM)/PTM nanoparticles (NP-gel(PTM)) for the controlled release of PTM. NP-gel(PTM) can continuously inhibit the growth of MRSA and its biofilm formation in simulated drug flow models in vitro. In situ implantation of NP-gel(PTM) could treat MRSA-infected subcutaneous soft tissues without toxicity. For MRSA-infected skin wounds, NP-gel(PTM) not only showed strong anti-MRSA activity but also accelerated more wound healing than the widely used antibiotic mupirocin. Collectively, PTM is expected to be used in this safe and effective NP-gel delivery platform for the treatment of local infections, which might help to alleviate the current antibiotic resistance crisis.