Drug loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles for wound healing activity

Wound treatment and its medical complications remain one of the most prevalent and economically burdensome healthcare issues in the world. Current wound treatments are limited and costly, resulting in a need of developing new therapeutics. Application of exogenous lactate, provided by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) degradation, accelerates angiogenesis, activate procollagen factors and recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells. PLGA is biodegradable, biocompatible excipient and has versatile degradation kinetics. We hypothesized that the drug loaded PLGA nanoparticles (NP) could promote wound healing due to the sustained and combined effects of lactate and the released drug. We encapsulated fragile and potent wound healing agents such as curcumin, LL37 and VEGF in PLGA NP and tested them in mouse full thickness excisional splinted wound model. Compared to controls, PLGA-drug NP showed 2-3 fold higher efficacy, greater re-epithelialization, granulation tissue formation and anti-inflammatory potential. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the combined effects of lactate (PLGA) and encapsulated drug accelerated dermal wound healing.