Rapid angiogenic hydrogel nanofiber scaffold promotes random flap regeneration and modulates inflammation.

Abstract

Random skin flaps are commonly used to cover thick skin wounds. However, necrosis frequently occurs when the flap's aspect ratio exceeds 2:1. Promoting angiogenesis and regulating inflammation are essential for treating ischemia-reperfusion injury in random flaps. In this study, calcium-doped silica nanoparticles loaded with deferoxamine (CD) were created through physical adsorption by rapidly mixing biodegradable calcium-doped silica nanoparticles (CS) with deferoxamine (DFO). A gelatin methacryloyl (GM) hydrogel nanofiber scaffold containing 1% (w/v) CD (GM/CD-1) was subsequently produced using electrospinning technology. The GM/CD-1 scaffold showed excellent biocompatibility and significantly promoted flap regeneration in mice, achieving a 96.17 ± 3.17% flap survival rate at 14 days. Additionally, it effectively stimulated hair follicle growth and exhibited an inflammatory-modulating effect. These features suggest that the GM/CD-1 scaffold could be valuable for clinical applications in flap regeneration and other tissue engineering fields.