In Vivo Wound Healing in Drosophila melanogaster and Mouse Models: Synergistic Effect of Bovine Serum Albumin and Graphene Quantum Dots

Abstract

Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-based biomaterials have garnered significant attention for their remarkable potential in wound healing, primarily due to their effective biological actions in addressing the skin inflammation phase and mitigating hypoalbuminemia. Motivated by these attributes, a nanocomposite hydrogel is developed by blending BSA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), complemented by the incorporation of graphene quantum dot (GQD). The FTIR study establishes a hydrogen-bonding interaction between the -NH₂ groups of BSA and the -OH group of PVA. Microscopic investigations establish that the dispersion of GQDs with an average size of 22.5 nm results in smoothening of the surface of the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite hydrogel reveals excellent swelling attributes of about 920% in a period of 6 h due to its optimum cross-linking condition. Furthermore, the hydrogel exhibits a water vapor transmission rate of 8.45 mg cm^-2 h^-1, akin to the transmission rate of wounded skin. The PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite's antibacterial efficacy is evaluated against Morganella morganii bacteria, showing 99% killing, while its cytotoxicity assay against HeLa cells exhibited a minimum cell viability of 76% at a 20 μM concentration, which is ideal for a wound dressing material. In vivo wound healing investigations are conducted on Drosophila, showcasing a 100% wound surface closure within 4 h. This outcome is further substantiated through in vivo studies involving mice, where complete re-epithelialization is achieved within a span of 13 days. The combined results establish the PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite as a potential wound dressing material.

Keywords: Drosophila; antibacterial; cytotoxicity; mouse model; wound healing.