Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences

Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences

A bilayer strategy for wound healing: In vitro assessment of Alginate-PVA-BG hydrogel and AgNPs-loaded chitosan scaffolds

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Elham Rahmanian Koshkaki 1, 2
Farzaneh Dehghani 1, 3
Hossein Bordbar 1, 3
Nader Tanideh 4, 5
Zahra Zareshahrabadi 6
Ali Mohammad Amani 7
Salar Khajehpour 8
Ahmad Vaez 3, 8, 9
1 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
2 Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3 Histomorphometry and Stereology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
4 Stem Cells Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
5 Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
6 Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
7 Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
8 Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
9 Biotechnology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
10.22038/ijbms.2026.94976.20487
Abstract
Objective(s): Developing multifunctional wound dressings requires integrating antimicrobial barriers with regenerative hydrogel matrices. This study engineered a bilayer scaffold comprising an upper electrospun chitosan (Cs)-polyethylene oxide (PEO) layer loaded with green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and a lower lyophilized alginate (Alg)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel layer enriched with bioactive glass (BG).
Materials and Methods: AgNPs were synthesized using plant-derived proteolytic enzymes and characterized by DLS and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The electrospun upper layer was fabricated via electrospinning, while the lower hydrogel layer was prepared by freeze-drying. The Alg-PVA-BG hydrogel network was characterized for swelling behavior (gravimetrically at 37 °C), degradation kinetics, porosity, and mechanical integrity. Biological evaluations included an MTT cytocompatibility assay using L929 murine fibroblasts over 1, 3, and 5 days, a wound closure assay using HaCaT human keratinocytes over 48 hours, and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using MIC90 determination.
Results: BG incorporation (20% w/w) modulated the hydrogel structure, resulting in optimized porosity (58-67%), controlled swelling ratios (147.5-189.0%), and enhanced mechanical stability. The AgNP-loaded top layer (32 µg/ml) exhibited potent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with MIC90 values of 8.2 µg/ml against S. aureus and 12.5 µg/ml against E. coli. In vitro biological evaluations demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility (cell viability >85% for all groups) and significantly enhanced HaCaT cell migration (42.64±5.84%) for the Cs-PEO-AgNPs/Alg-PVA-BG group compared to the control group (P<0.05)..
Conclusion: These results demonstrate the synergistic efficacy of combining an AgNP-mediated antimicrobial barrier with a bioactive alginate-based hydrogel matrix, offering a robust strategy for advanced wound-healing applications.
Keywords
Bioglass
Hydrogel
Nanoparticles
Scaffold
Wound healing
Subjects
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Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 September 2026