Wound healing action of nitric oxide‐releasing self‐expandable collagen sponge

Mounting evidence showing that local nitric oxide (NO) delivery may significantly improve the wound healing process has stimulated the development of wound dressings capable of releasing NO topically. Herein, we describe the preparation of a self‐expandable NO‐releasing hydrolyzed collagen sponge (CS), charged with the endogenously found NO donor, S‐nitrosoglutathione (GSNO). We show that cold pressed and GSNO‐charged CS (CS/GSNO) undergo self‐expansion to its original 3D shape upon water absorption to a swelling degree of 2,300 wt%, triggering the release of free NO. Topical application of compressed CS/GSNO on wounds in an animal model showed that exudate absorption by CS/GSNO leads to the release of higher NO doses during the inflammatory phase and progressively lower NO doses at later stages of the healing process. Moreover, treated animals showed significant increase in the mRNA expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), murine macrophage marker (F4/80), transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β), stromal cell‐derived factor 1 (SDF‐1), insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP‐9). Cluster differentiation 31 (CD31), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and F4/80 were measured on Days 7 and 12 by immunohistochemistry in the cicatricial tissue. These results indicate that the topical delivery of NO enhances the migration and infiltration of leucocytes, macrophages, and keratinocytes to the wounded tissue, as well as the neovascularization and collagen deposition, which are correlated with an accelerated wound closure. Thus, self‐expandable CS/GSNO may represent a novel biocompatible and active wound dress for the topical delivery of NO on wounds.