Indian scientists develop smart injectable hydrogel from spirulina that can lead to rapid recovery in internal injuries and in diabetic patients

An injectable hydrogel derived from spirulina can help accelerated wound repair in internal injuries and rapid healing in diabetic patients.

Repeated dressing of diabetic wound badly affects its healing process while it is difficult to assess the wound repair in internal injuries due to treatment complications.

To address this need, Scientists under the leadership of Dr. Surajit Karmakar at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous Institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, have recently developed an injectable hydrogel from κappa-carrageenan, a water-soluble polysaccharide found in edible red seaweeds and a pigmented protein called C-phycocyanin found in spirulina.

The gelling property of κ-carrageenan was utilized by the researchers along with C-phycocyanin as an injectable and regenerative wound dressing matrix to heal the wound rapidly and also to monitor it progress in real-time. The matrix developed was highly biocompatible. The research published in the journal ‘Acta Biomaterialia’ established the superior haemostatic (blood flow retarding ) capabilities of the combination in traumatic injury conditions.

The hydrogel matrix developed by Dr. Surajit Karmakar and his group was fluorescent and allowed in vivo Near-infrared (NIR) imaging. Thus it could help monitor the recovery of the wound by taking the time-lapse 3D images of the hydrogel filled wound. Changing depth of the wound bed allow detection of the percentage recovery in wounds. Such types of imaging can allow real-time monitoring of wound repair in internal injuries and diabetic patients where monitoring of wound repair is a challenge. The anti-inflammatory response and rapid blood clotting ability of κ-carrageenan-C-phycocyanin (κ-CRG-C-Pc) further empowered its applicability in rapid blood clotting, anti-inflammation, and appropriate monitoring of accelerated wound recovery.

The hydrogel was built by ionic cross-linking of κ-carrageenan monomers (β-d-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-α-d-galactose, linked by α-(1,3) and β-(1,4) glycosidic unions) ) along with C-phycocyanin, which provided an interconnected network of porous material with hydrophilic surface and mechanical stiffness. This porosity allowed nutrients transportation and gaseous exchange across the wound healing site for the proliferation of various cells.

According to the INST group, the synthesized hydrogel will be highly beneficial for people of all age groups in wound healing applications. Its injectable property allowed its application in tough to reach internal injuries without opening the peritoneum of the patients. It also holds promise to be utilized in high altitude frost injury application due to its self-healing properties.

The team is now exploring the mechanism of action of κ-carrageenan-C-phycocyanin (κ-CRG-C-Pc) hydrogel and involvement of signaling pathway for exploring the process of wound healing and regenerative properties.

It may be noted that Dr. Surajit Karmakar is a Professor (Scientist-F) at the INST. He has also been working on the development of cancer nano-therapeutics, including screening of peptide and small molecule combinatorial therapy, siRNA delivery and peptide-mediated cancer therapy by targeting mitochondrial metabolism.

He is focusing on understanding molecular mechanisms to overcome resistance to chemotherapy, target validation, signal transduction in membrane proteins and nanoparticles endocytotic cascade.

His research interests include:

• Development of nano-therapeutics including screening of peptide and small molecule combinatorial therapy, siRNA delivery and peptide-mediated cancer therapy by targeting mitochondrial metabolism.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of diabetic retinopathy and their prevention by nanotherapy.
• To overcome resistance to chemotherapy, target validation, signal transduction in membrane proteins and nanoparticles endocytotic cascade.
• Receptor and ion channel regulation on cell membrane organization, endosomal function and escape.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease and developing their prevention by nanotherapy.