Novel Biomaterial for Wound Closure in Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) affect approximately 1.6 million people in the United States annually, carrying a 5-year mortality rate of 50% and a significant economic burden. While traditional therapies focus on suppressing chronic inflammation, we propose an affordable biomaterial alternative that transiently activates the initial inflammatory phase to jumpstart the natural healing process. Our solution is comprised of an underlying scaffold with a pro-inflammatory coating of gelatin cross linked with glutaraldehyde. As the coating degrades, the inflammatory agent, glutaraldehyde, is released into the wound environment promoting inflammation of the wound. A 5-day release study demonstrated that a 5% glutaraldehyde coating formulation achieved a controlled, desirable release profile that dissipated within 3 to 5 days. Preliminary cytocompatibility testing via a trypan blue exclusion assay established that a 25% glutaraldehyde formulation was cytotoxic. While scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and analysis revealed that the choice of underlying scaffold did not meet the targeted 150–300 μm pore diameter and >60% porosity requirements after undergoing the release study. However, the pores successfully remained open following the coating application. Ultimately, these findings validate that the degradation and release of this pro-inflammatory coating can be controlled and responsive, establishing a modular platform for chronic wound care.