In Silico Prediction and In Vivo Wound Healing Indicators of Nano Chitin Incorporated Lyophillised Alginate Matrices

Chitin (β-(1-4)-poly-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine) is considered the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature. Chitin can be degraded into shorter oligosaccharides known as chito-oligosaccharides by either chemical or enzymatic methods. Chitin and its oligosaccharides, being biocompatible and biodegradable, have been reported to have several biomedical applications. The wound healing properties of this polymer have been determined primarily using in vivo studies on various animal models. However little has been studied regarding the mechanism of action of this polymer with regard to wound healing. Wound healing is a highly co-ordinated process involving inflammation, cell proliferation, matrix deposition, tissue remodeling, collagenation and epithelialization. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a class enzymes that are structurally similar and contribute to degradation of extracellular matrix. They have a role in both normal and pathological matrix remodelling. Over expression of metalloproteinases is generally related to delayed or impairment in wound healing. Studies carried out on human dermal fibroblasts have reported, chitooligosaccharides ranging from 3–5 kDa to have a strong inhibitory effect on gene expressing MMP-2. However, any inhibitory activity of chitin on the protein itself has not been reported.