Soy Protein-Based Wound Dressings: A Review of Their Preparation, Properties, and Perspectives

Transformative lactera-polypyrrole@carrageenan microparticles leveraging NIR for skin regeneration and stress relief

Effective wound healing remains a significant challenge in regenerative medicine, particularly in minimizing inflammation and promoting scarless recovery. This study introduces a bioengineered LAC-PPy@Car MF composite, designed to leverage near-infrared (NIR)-induced photothermal therapy alongside biotherapeutics to facilitate tissue regeneration. The composite integrates the photothermal properties of polypyrrole (PPy) with the anti-inflammatory and regenerative potential of Lactera (LAC) and Carrageenan (Car). Upon NIR activation, the composite generates localized mild-hyperthermia, reducing oxidative stress, enhancing Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) activity, and upregulating heat shock proteins (HSP). These effects synergistically create a bioactive environment conducive to cellular proliferation and tissue repair. Biochemical evaluations demonstrate that LAC-PPy@Car MF effectively reduces oxidative stress, stimulates fibroblast migration, and promotes the proliferation of skin cells. Immunofluorescence staining reveals significant activation of AhR and HSP in treated tissues, correlating with cellular proliferation and improved skin architecture. The NIR-triggered photothermal effect contributes to the therapeutic potential of the composite, ensuring precise and minimally invasive treatment for burn injuries. These findings position phototherapeutic LAC-PPy@Car MF as a promising candidate for advanced wound healing applications. Its dual functionality, combining photothermal therapy with bioactive healing properties, offers a transformative approach to regenerative medicine, paving the way for improved clinical outcomes in wound care.

Trends in protein derived materials for wound care applications

Natural resource based polymers, especially those derived from proteins, have attracted significant attention for their potential utilization in advanced wound care applications. Protein based wound care materials provide superior biocompatibility, biodegradability, and other functionalities compared to conventional dressings. The effectiveness of various fabrication techniques, such as electrospinning, phase separation, self-assembly, and ball milling, is examined in the context of developing protein-based materials for wound healing. These methods produce a wide range of forms, including hydrogels, scaffolds, sponges, films, and bioinspired nanomaterials, each designed for specific types of wounds and different stages of healing. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of recent research that investigates the transformation of proteins into materials for wound healing applications. Our focus is on essential proteins, such as keratin, collagen, gelatin, silk, zein, and albumin, and we emphasize their distinct traits and roles in wound care management. Protein-based wound care materials show promising potential in biomedical engineering, offering improved healing capabilities and reduced risks of infection. It is crucial to explore the potential use of these materials in clinical settings while also addressing the challenges that may arise from their commercialization in the future.