Evaluation of a new type of wound dressing made from recombinant spider silk protein using rat models

This study investigates the feasibility of recombinant spider silk protein as a wound-dressing material for coverage of deep second-degree burn wounds using an animal model. Sixty Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (15 rats in each group). Two types of recombinant spider silk proteins, pNSR-16 and pNSR-32, as well as collagen (as a control) were applied on the wound; the fourth group was left untreated as a negative control. Each group was evaluated on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 14th and 21st days for wound-healing rate, histological test, levels of hydroxyproline synthesis and the samples were stained for immunohistochemical detection of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The results of implantation testing showed that wound healing in the treatment groups – recombinant spider silk protein pNSR-16 and pNSR-32 – was much better than that in the control group (p < 0.01). On the 7th, 14th and 21st days, higher expression of bFGF and the increase of hydroxyproline content of the skin indicated good regeneration of wound skin in the treatment groups. Preliminarily, we conclude that the recombinant spider silk protein membrane promotes the recovery of wound skin by increasing the expression and secretion of the growth factor bFGF and hydroxyproline.