Borkow Gadi, Melamed Eyal
MedCu Technologies Ltd., Herzliya 4672200, Israel.
The Skin Research Institute, The Dead-Sea & Arava Science Center, Masada 8691000, Israel.
Biomedicines. 2025 Feb 24;13(3):562. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13030562.
Chronic wounds pose a substantial global healthcare burden exacerbated by aging populations and the increasing prevalence of conditions such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and venous insufficiency. Impaired physiological repair mechanisms, including angiogenesis, collagen synthesis, and re-epithelialization, hinder the healing process in chronic wounds. Many of these physiological processes are dependent on their interaction with copper. We hypothesized that the targeted delivery of copper ions to the wound bed would enhance healing. Wound dressings impregnated with copper oxide microparticles were designed to ensure the controlled release of copper ions. The efficacy of these dressings was evaluated using non-infected wound models, including diabetic mouse models compared against control and silver dressings. Outcome measures included wound closure rates, epidermal skin quality assessed by histopathological examination, and gene expression profiling. Clinical applications were assessed through diverse case studies and controlled trials involving chronic wound management. Copper dressings significantly accelerated wound closure and enhanced angiogenesis compared to control and silver dressings. Histopathological analyses revealed faster granulation tissue formation, epidermal regeneration, and neovascularization. Gene expression studies showed upregulation of critical angiogenic factors such as VEGF and HIF-1α. Investigations and clinical observations corroborated improved healing across various chronic wound types, including non-infected wounds. Copper is essential for wound healing, and copper-impregnated dressings provide a promising solution for chronic wound management. By enhancing angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, these dressings go beyond antimicrobial action, offering a cost-effective and innovative alternative to conventional therapies. Copper dressings represent a transformative advancement in addressing the challenges of chronic wound care.
慢性伤口给全球医疗保健带来了沉重负担，而老龄化人口以及糖尿病、外周血管疾病和静脉功能不全等疾病患病率的上升使这一负担更加沉重。包括血管生成、胶原蛋白合成和再上皮化在内的生理修复机制受损，阻碍了慢性伤口的愈合过程。这些生理过程中的许多都依赖于它们与铜的相互作用。我们假设将铜离子靶向递送至伤口床会促进愈合。设计了浸渍有氧化铜微粒的伤口敷料，以确保铜离子的控释。使用非感染性伤口模型评估了这些敷料的疗效，包括与对照敷料和银敷料相比的糖尿病小鼠模型。结果指标包括伤口闭合率、通过组织病理学检查评估的表皮皮肤质量以及基因表达谱分析。通过涉及慢性伤口管理的各种案例研究和对照试验评估了临床应用情况。与对照敷料和银敷料相比，铜敷料显著加速了伤口闭合并增强了血管生成。组织病理学分析显示肉芽组织形成更快、表皮再生和新血管形成。基因表达研究表明关键血管生成因子如血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）和缺氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）上调。调查和临床观察证实，包括非感染性伤口在内的各种慢性伤口类型的愈合情况均有所改善。铜对伤口愈合至关重要，含铜敷料为慢性伤口管理提供了一种有前景的解决方案。通过增强血管生成和组织再生，这些敷料超越了抗菌作用，为传统疗法提供了一种经济高效且创新的替代方案。铜敷料代表了在应对慢性伤口护理挑战方面的变革性进展。
