Abstract
BACKGROUND: Postskin peeling procedures commonly result in epidermal injuries with the potential for infection and suboptimal aesthetic outcomes. In clinical practice, dextran and hyaluronic acid (HA) are frequently used as adjunctive materials to enhance wound healing. AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of a dextran-aminated hyaluronic acid (DA-AHA) hydrogel in epidermal injury repair. METHODS: Murine models of stratum corneum and epidermal layer injury were established. Nine mice with disrupted stratum corneum barriers and 45 with disrupted epidermal barriers were randomized into three groups: Saline, HA gel, and DA-AHA. The repair efficacy of the DA-AHA gel was assessed by measuring the trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) at the injury site and conducting skin tissue pathological examinations. RESULTS: DA-AHA gel more rapidly reduced TEWL at the injury site compared with both saline and HA gel, leading to accelerated wound repair. Pathological and fluorescence staining analyses indicated that DA-AHA gel could form a dense film at the wound site, subsequently reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and tumor necrosis factor-α expression while increasing transforming growth factor-β1 levels. Consequently keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and differentiation were enhanced. Additionally, DA-AHA gel induced the thickening of the epidermal layer during the later stages of repair. CONCLUSIONS: DA-AHA gel can expedite the repair of injured epidermis, alleviate inflammation of the affected area, and thicken the epidermal layer. Therefore, DA-AHA gel is an efficacious treatment in epidermal injury repair, with potential clinical application.