Polycaprolactone Fiber and Laminin and Collagen IV Protein Incorporation in Implants Enhances Wound Healing in a Novel Mouse Skin Splint Model

Wound healing is an intricate process involving multiple cells and distinct phases, presenting challenges for comprehensive investigations. Currently available treatments for wounds have limited capacity to fully restore tissue and often require significant investments of time in the form of repetitive dressing changes and/or reapplications. This article presents a novel study that aims to enhance wound healing by developing biomaterial scaffolds using Medpor®, a porous polyethylene implant, as a model scaffold. The study incorporates electrospun poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers and a protein mixture (PM) containing collagen IV and laminin onto the Medpor® scaffolds. To evaluate the impact of these implants on wound healing, a unique splinted wound model in mice is employed. The wounds were evaluated for closure, inflammation, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, epithelialization, and proliferation. The results show that wounds treated with Medpor® + PCL + PM implants demonstrate accelerated closure rates, improved epithelialization, and enhanced angiogenesis compared to other implant groups. However, there were no significant differences observed in collagen deposition and inflammatory response among the implant groups. This study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of incorporating PCL fibers and a PM onto scaffolds to enhance wound healing. Furthermore, the developed splinted wound model with integrated implants offers a promising platform for future studies on implant efficacy and the advancement of innovative wound healing strategies.