CNR ExploRA

Articolo in rivista, 2024, ENG, 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113756

Designing bioinspired multifunctional nanoplatforms to support wound healing and skin regeneration: Mg-hydroxyapatite meets melanins.

Franco Furlani a, Giulio Pota b, Arianna Rossi a c, Giuseppina Luciani b, Elisabetta Campodoni a, Fabio Mocerino d, Gerardino D'Errico d e, Alessandro Pezzella f, Silvia Panseri a, Giuseppe Vitiello b e, Monica Sandri a

a National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Science, Technology and Sustainability for Ceramics - CNR - ISSMC (former ISTEC) - Via Granarolo 64, I - 48018, Faenza (RA), Italy b Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli, Italy and Bioelectronics Task Force at University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy c Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, I-98166, Messina, Italy d Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, via Cintia 21, I-80126 Napoli, Italy and Bioelectronics Task Force at University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy e CSGI, Center for Colloid and Surface Science, via della Lastruccia 3, 50019, Florence, Italy f Department of Physics "Ettore Pancini", University of Naples Federico II, via Cintia 21, I-80126 Napoli, Italy; National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Piazza S. Marco, 4, 50121 Florence, Italy; Institute for Polymers Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB) CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, IT-80078 Pozzuoli (Na), Italy and Bioelectronics Task Force at University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

Melanin is a multifunctional biological pigment that recently emerged as endowed with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties and with high potentialities in skin protection and regenerative medicine. Here, a biomimetic magnesium-doped nano-hydroxyapatite (MgHA) was synthesized and decorated with melanin molecules starting from two different monomeric precursors, i.e. 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) and dopamine (DA), demonstrating to be able to polymerize on the surface of MgHA nanostructures, thus leading to a melanin coating. This functionalization was realized by a simple and green preparation method requiring mild conditions in an aqueous medium and room temperature. Complementary spectroscopy and electron imaging analyses were carried out to define the effective formation of a stable coating, the percentage of the organic compounds, and the structural properties of resulting melanin-coated nanostructures, which showed good antioxidant activity. The in vitro interaction with a cell model, i.e. mouse fibroblasts, was investigated. The excellent biocompatibility of all bioinspired nanostructures was confirmed from a suitable cell proliferation. Finally, the enhanced biological performances of the nanostructures coated with melanin from DHICA were confirmed by scratch assays. Jointly our findings indicated that low crystalline MgHA and melanin pigments can be efficiently combined, and the resulting nanostructures are promising candidates as multifunctional platforms for a more efficient approach for skin regeneration and protection

Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces (Print)