Peptide-modified Chitosan Hydrogel accelerates skin wound healing by promoting fibroblast proliferation, migration and secretion.

Skin wound healing is a complicated process that involves a variety of cells and cytokines. Fibroblasts play an important role in this process and participate in transformation into myofibroblasts, the synthesis of extracellular matrix and fibers, and the secretion of a variety of growth factors. This study assessed the effects of peptide SIKVAV (Ser-Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val)-modified chitosan hydrogels on skin wound healing. We investigated the capability of peptide SIKVAV to promote cell proliferation and migration, the synthesis of collagen and the secretion of a variety of growth factors using fibroblasts in vitro. We also treated skin wounds established in mice using peptide SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogels. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining showed that peptide-modified chitosan hydrogels enhanced the re-epithelialization of wounds compared with negative and positive controls. Masson trichrome staining demonstrated that more collagen fibers were deposited at the wounds treated with peptide-modified chitosan hydrogels compared with the negative and positive controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the peptide-modified chitosan hydrogels promoted angiogenesis in the skin wound. Taken together, these results suggest that peptide SIKVAV-modified chitosan hydrogels may be useful in wound dressing and the treatment of skin wounds.