Proangiogenic Peptide Nanofiber Hydrogel/3D-Printed Scaffold to Promote Dermal Regeneration

Abstract

Dermal substitutes are widely used for wound repair and show a good advantage in skin regeneration. Vascularization is an important index for evaluating dermal materials. Rapid vascularization can provide channels for nutritional support and excretion and create an intervention pathway for the immune system in the early stage of wound healing. In this study, we synthesized a proangiogenic self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel and combined it with UV-cured gelatin to form a series of 3D-printed scaffolds. As the percentage of peptide increased, the microstructure of the scaffolds transformed to nanoscale, and the water absorption rate and weight loss ratio in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer also increased. Mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) adhered and proliferated on 3D-printed scaffolds, and a vascular model test showed that many connected tubes were present in the HUVECs after 8 h of culture with material extract, indicating the promising proangiogenic capability of these 3D-printed scaffolds. An in vivo study demonstrated that the 3D-printed scaffold combined with 20% peptide hydrogel had the best collagenous fiber structure and fastest repair cycles in dermis regeneration. The results indicate that our proangiogenic scaffold constitutes a promising therapeutic option for high-quality skin regeneration.