Injectable ADM temperature-sensitive hydrogel loaded with bFGF in diabetic rat wound healing study

<b>Background:</b> Diabetic wound is one of the most common diabetic chronic complications. Effective treatments of diabetic wound remain limited. Here, we explored the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-acellular dermal matrix (ADM) hydrogel on the diabetic wound. <b>Methods:</b> The bFGF-ADM hydrogel was manufactured by mixing 180 µL ADM hydrogel and 20 µL bFGF aqueous solution (10 mg/mL). The morphology of ADM hydrogel and bFGF-ADM hydrogel was observed under scanning electron microscope. The release property of bFGF-ADM hydrogel was determined by ELISA. CCK-8 assay was utilized to estimate the cell viability of mouse skin fibroblasts. The diabetes mellitus (DM) model was established in rats. The four wounds on the back of each DM rat were treated with the ADM hydrogel, bFGF-ADM hydrogel, bFGF aqueous solution and no solution (control), respectively. The wound healing rate of each rat was estimated. The traumatized skin tissue of each rat was observed by H&E staining and Sirius red staining. <b>Results:</b> The bFGF-ADM hydrogel displayed an interconnected pore structure and bFGF was gradually released from the bFGF-ADM hydrogel over time. The bFGF-ADM hydrogel could enhance the cell viability of skin fibroblasts and promote the wound healing rate, the re-epithelialization of wound and increase the collagen fiber content of dermis. And the bFGF-ADM hydrogel exhibited better therapeutic effects of diabetic wound than either bFGF or ADM alone. <b>Conclusions:</b> Our study revealed that the bFGF-ADM hydrogel could promote diabetic wound healing.