Interpenetrating polymer networks containing gelatin modified with PEGylated RGD and soluble KGF: synthesis, characterization, and application in in vivo critical dermal wound.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and the efficacy in wound healing of a gelatin-based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-ylated RGD and soluble KGF-1 (RGD-IPN+KGF). IPNs were applied to full-thickness wounds on a rat model. Wound healing was assessed through histological grading of the host response and percent area contraction at 2 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks. A control IPN containing unmodified gelatin (unmod-IPN) and a conventional clinical bandage were applied to similar wounds and also evaluated. During the first week of healing, the unmod-IPN and conventional dressing wound showed a greater amount of contraction than that of RGD-IPN+KGF. However, by 3 weeks the extent of wound contraction was comparable between treatments. The RGD-IPN+KGF treated wound demonstrated lower macrophage and fibroblast densities at 3 weeks as compared to unmod-IPN treated wounds. RGD-IPN+KGF acted as a tissue scaffold while preventing the entry of foreign bodies, advantages not seen with the conventional dressing. The extent of cellularity and extracellular matrix organization was higher for wounds healed with RGD-IPN+KGF than those healed with unmod-IPN. These results indicate that both soluble and immobilized bioactive factors can be incorporated into our IPN platform to enhance the rate and the quality of dermal wound healing.