Unraveling the cellular mechanisms of tissue regeneration based on colloidal supraball bio-adhesives

Abstract

Spherical aggregates of biocompatible mesoporous silica nanoparticles, known as supraballs (SBs), have been proposed as promising tissue adhesives, offering enhanced adhesion energy owing to their high specific surface area. Herein, we investigated the wound-healing mechanism of SBs achieved through nano-bridging at a cellular level. Lap shear tests on porcine skin exhibited improved wet adhesion as SB concentration increased. At 10 wt%, the adhesion strength reached approximately 37 kPa, surpassing that of fibrin glue (∼26 kPa). Hemocompatibility assessments showed non-hemolytic effects for both silica microparticles and SBs. In addition, SBs were validated to be biocompatible, exhibiting low immunogenicity, normal cell proliferation and migration, and degradability in cell media. In vivo results demonstrated that SB-treated wounds displayed accelerated wound closure, accompanied by earlier angiogenesis and low immune response, underscoring the potential of SBs as an effective tissue binder. Further investigation of the healing mechanism was conducted by analyzing differentially expressed genes in cells representing epidermal and dermal areas, revealing notable distinctions between control and SB-treated samples. These variations are associated with cellular behavior and microvascular endothelial cell and keratinocyte proliferation. Taken together, these findings indicate that SBs have the capability to serve as efficient tissue adhesives. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.