Hydroxybutyl chitin combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells promotes diabetic wound healing

• An thermo-sensitive hydrogel loaded with BMSCs was developed for full-thickness defects therapy. • HBCT hydrogel showed good biocompatibility and ability to enhance cell migration in vitro. • HBCT＋BMSCs can accelerate wound closure, promote collagen deposition and up-regulate the expression of EGF and CD31. Diabetic wounds are a common complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by low healing rates and high recurrence rates, which severely impact patients’ quality of life. Although studies suggest that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) possess the potential to promote chronic wound healing, their direct application is limited by low survival rates and impaired functionality. To address this issue, we developed a thermosensitive hydrogel (HBCT hydrogel) for encapsulating/delivering BMSCs by modifying chitin via hydroxybutylation. HBCT can form a hydrogel at physiological temperature and exhibits excellent biocompatibility as well as the ability to enhance cell migration. More importantly, the HBCT hydrogel maintains/sustains the viability of BMSCs. In a rat model of diabetic full-thickness skin defects, the combined application of BMSCs and the HBCT hydrogel improved wound healing efficiency by promoting collagen deposition, enhancing the expression of epidermal growth factor, and increasing markers of neovascularization. This study combines the HBCT thermosensitive hydrogel with BMSCs, offering/providing a promising strategy for tissue regeneration and repair in diabetic wounds.