Bioactive Supramolecular Polymers for Skin Regeneration Following Burn Injury

Authors

Penelope E. Jankoski, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Abdul-Razak Masoud, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Jenna Dennis, LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
Sophia Trinh, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Loria R. DiMartino, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Jessica Shrestha, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Luis Marrero, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Jeffery Hobden, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Jeffrey Carter, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Jonathan Schoen, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Herbert Phelan, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Alison A. Smith, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Tristan D. Clemons, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-11-2025

Publication Title

Biomacromolecules

Abstract

Severe deep dermal burns present a significant challenge for the clinician, often resulting in complications including infection, scarring, and potentially multisystem organ failure. The current standard of care, which involves debridement and skin coverage, has improved survival rates but remains insufficient for optimal tissue regeneration and functional recovery. Additionally, there can be limited donor skin availability with severe burns, leading to the use of skin substitutes to be applied with varying degrees of success reported. Biomaterial scaffolds, designed to reduce the reliance on skin grafting, could promote improved healing and patient outcomes. Recent research has focused on promoting the proliferative phase of wound healing through the use of extracellular matrix (ECM) mimetic scaffolds; however, these constructs continue to exhibit critical limitations, including mechanical fragility, heightened infection susceptibility, limited morphological conformity to host tissue architecture, and the necessity for secondary surgical intervention for scaffold retrieval. This study presents a bioactive supramolecular polymer capable of rapid self-assembly into nanofibers, which act as a scaffold to promote tissue regeneration following burn injury. The scaffold is biocompatible, biodegradable, and capable of presenting a bioactive peptide designed to reduce acute inflammation and promote keratinocyte migration in the scaffold. The supramolecular polymers significantly accelerated early wound healing in a clinically relevant deep dermal murine burn injury model. This work provides a promising approach to the development of biomaterials that combine both therapeutic strategies, with scaffolding to promote skin regeneration following severe burn injury.

First Page

5471

Last Page

5482

PubMed ID

40669455

Volume

26

Issue

8

Recommended Citation

Jankoski, Penelope E.; Masoud, Abdul-Razak; Dennis, Jenna; Trinh, Sophia; DiMartino, Loria R.; Shrestha, Jessica; Marrero, Luis; Hobden, Jeffery; Carter, Jeffrey; Schoen, Jonathan; Phelan, Herbert; Smith, Alison A.; and Clemons, Tristan D., "Bioactive Supramolecular Polymers for Skin Regeneration Following Burn Injury" (2025). School of Medicine Faculty Publications. 3972.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/som_facpubs/3972
10.1021/acs.biomac.5c01107