Wound healing effect of visible light-curable chitosan with encapsulated EGF

Low molecular O-carboxymethyl chitosan, a derivative of chitosan, was conjugated with a hydrophilic carboxymethyl group, following which the conjugate was modified with a furfuryl group. The chitosan derivative was cross-linked to encapsulate a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), in the presence of Rose Bengal under visible light irradiation. The encapsulated BSA was slowly released from the matrix over 2 weeks. The modified chitosan exhibited antimicrobial activity and was non-cytotoxic to NIH3T3 fibroblasts. The wound healing effect of the cross-linked chitosan derivative was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats at 3, 7, and 14 days post-wounding. Cross-linked and murine epidermal growth factor (mEGF)-encapsulated chitosan derivatives healed wounds more rapidly in rats than non-encapsulated mEGF or chitosan derivative alone. Thus, visible light-curable chitosan has good potential for application as wound-healing matrix.