Performance of collagen-based matrices from Nile tilapia skin: A pilot proteomic study in a murine model of wound healing

Full-thickness cutaneous trauma, due to the lack of dermis, leads to difficulty in epithelialization by keratinocytes, developing a fibrotic scar, with less elasticity than the original skin, which may have disorders in predisposed individuals, resulting in hypertrophic scar and keloids. Biomedical materials have excellent characteristics, such as good biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, which can temporarily replace traditional materials used as primary dressings. In this work, we developed two dermal matrices based on Nile tilapia collagen, with (M_GAG) and without (M) glycosaminoglycans, using a sugarcane polymer membrane as a matrix support. To assess the molecular mechanisms driving wound healing, we performed qualitative proteomic analysis on the wound bed in an in vivo study involving immunocompetent murine models at 14 and 21 days post-full-thickness skin injury. Gene Ontology and Pathway analysis revealed that both skins were markedly represented by modulation of the immune system, emphasizing controlling the acute inflammation response at 14 and 21 days post-injury. Furthermore, both groups showed significant enrichment of pathways related to RNA and protein metabolism, suggesting an increase in protein synthesis required for tissue repair and proper wound closure. Other pathways, such as keratinization and vitamin D3 metabolism, were also enriched in the groups treated with M matrix. Finally, both matrices improved wound healing in a full post-thick skin lesion. However, our preliminary molecular data reveals that the collagen-mediated healing matrix lacking glycosaminoglycan (M) exhibited a phenotype more favorable to tissue repair, making it more suitable for use before skin grafts.