Preparation of chitosan-embedded recombinant human epidermal growth factor nanoparticles as accelerating compounds for skin remodelling in chronic lesions

The chronic lesion has become a major biological difficulty. Using nanoparticles as drug delivery systems is remarkable nowadays. The unique properties of chitosan in combination with epidermal growth factor (EGF) can accelerate the wound-healing process.

In this study, Chitosan-EGF (CS-EGF) nanoparticles were manipulated and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) microscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) method, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) radiation. The antibacterial effect was estimated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) methods and the proliferation assay was measured on the HFF-1 (human fibroblast cell line). Then, migration assay was accomplished and the gene expression analysis for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and platelets-derived growth factor (PDGF) was manipulated by the real-time-PCR method. The obtained results were considered statistically significant with P < 0.05.

Obtained results illustrated no toxic effect on the HFF-1 cell line treated with CS-EGF. In cellular proliferation and migration assays, CS-EGF nanoparticles demonstrated 2-folds higher than the control. In the duration of 72 h of the experiment, and concentration of 10 µM, 90 ±10% of cells were migrated and the whole scratch was covered by fibroblasts. The real-time-PCR analysis also showed 7.5, 4.5-, and 7-fold upregulation of all TGF-β, VEGF, and PDGF genes in comparison with the control group.

This study confirmed that using chitosan nanoparticles as a carrier for EGF can accelerate cellular remodelling and annihilate bacterial infection in the process of treatment. As CS-EGF nanoparticles in the acceleration of the skin remodelling process showed promising results, subsequent studies might be useful.