Fabrication of juglone functionalized silver nanoparticle stabilized collagen scaffolds for pro-wound healing activities.

The effective wound management strategies depends on identification and manipulation of the molecular defects in the pathophysiology of wound. Poor vascularization, protease susceptibility and microbial invasion at wound site affect the early wound closure. Hence, an efficient wound dressing material needs to promote angiogenesis, control proteolytic activity and microbial attack. The present study, describes designing and developing a novel wound dressing material by stabilization of collagen with juglone functionalized silver nanoparticle. Stabilization of collagen with juglone functionalized silver nanoparticles enhanced thermal properties, influenced the uniform alignment of collagen fibrils which enhanced collagen's ability to promote cell proliferation. FTIR and CD analyses revealed that juglone functionalized silver nanoparticles did not induced any structural changes in the collagen molecule. Juglone functionalized silver nanoparticles controlled the proteolytic activity in a spatio-temporal manner and elicited the angiogenic response by upregulation of cell adhesion molecules like β catenin and VE cadherin which had promoted the cell attachment and cell-cell contact. It had also promoted the expression of angiogenic signaling molecules like VEGF and VEGFR2. Further, the in vivo studies proved that the juglone functionalized silver nanoparticles had a potential role in rapid wound closure due to the cumulative property of juglone and silver nanoparticles.