Green synthesis of purple sweet potato-derived selenium nanoparticles accelerates wound healing through pyroptosis regulation

Although advances in nanomedicine using nanoparticles (NPs) derived from natural compounds have provided us with much insight into how to recover from wound infections, exploring the wound healing pathway remains a new perspective that has attracted significant interest in addressing wound complications challenges. Here, we harnessed the therapeutic potential of novel selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) derived from Purple <i>sweet potato</i> (PSp) extracts to promote wound healing through the regulation of pyroptosis-related pathways. PSp-SeNPs, with an average particle size of 80-100 nm, demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against <i>S. aureus</i> and MRSA clinical pathogens. The mechanism involves impairment of bacterial growth, biofilm formation, and metabolic processes through ATP depletion. Moreover, PSp-SeNPs impairs NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis including p-IκBα, p-NF-κB, IL-18, and IL-1β. This regulatory effect decreases inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α while promoting angiogenesis and collagen formation through increased expression levels of TGF-β, VEGFA, and CD31, thus accelerating wound healing. <i>In vivo</i> assessments confirmed that PSp-SeNPs significantly enhanced wound healing without adverse effects, indicating their high biocompatibility and bioavailability. This groundbreaking study elucidates the therapeutic potential of PSp-based selenium nanoparticles, facilitating the development of precise and efficient treatment strategies for wound healing and diverse medical applications.