Evaluation of the Use of a Modified Hydrogel in the Treatment of Local Radiation-Induced Skin Injures of Laboratory Animals

Introduction: Improving existing and developing new methods for treating local radiation injuries (LRI) of the skin is very important. One of the promising areas in this area is the development of preparations – hydrogels (H) with high regenerative potential, obtained from lyophilisates of decellularized biological tissues (LDT). Due to the multicomponent composition and the presence of such connective tissue components as collagen, laminin, fibronectin, elastin, as well as growth factors, such hydrogels stimulate cellular migration and adhesion, and also maintain their viability and functional activity in the wound bed. To improve the ease of use (improving the mechanical properties of the drug), as well as slowing down the biodegradation process, H-LDT preparations are modified, in particular, by the method of chemical cross-linking with genipin (GNP).

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of using a modified hydrogel preparation in the treatment of local radiation skin lesions in laboratory animals.

Material and methods: Local radiation injuries were modeled in 15 laboratory animals (male Wistar rats, average weight 225.0±25.0 g) using an LNK-268-PS X-ray machine. MLP treatment was performed with a hydrogel from lyophilisate of decellularized human tissues (H-LDT), obtained by a modified method of dry-cleaning cross-linking with genipin (GNP: 0.2 mM) on days 28–32, 35, 42 after irradiation. The animals were divided into 3 groups (5 animals in each) depending on the type of therapy: control group without therapy; H-LDT group; H-LDT+GNP group. Observation of laboratory animals was carried out up to 119 days with planimetric and histological examination (hematoxylin and eosin staining) of the course of the wound process of MLP.

Results: Planimetric studies have shown that the area (S) of the open wound surface (OWS) decreased by 30 % of the total S lesion in the experimental groups of animals (Н-LDH and H-LDH+GNP) on day 56 compared to the control group – on day 70. On day 119 of observation, healing of the LRI and the absence of OWS were noted in 40 % of animals in the H-LDT group. In the H-LDH+ GNP group, from day 28 to day 119 of observation, a decrease in S OWS by 6.15 times was noted compared to the control group of animals – by 3.49 times. In the H-LDT group, the results of histological studies demonstrated weak inflammatory infiltration, healing of the LRI and the absence of inflammatory infiltration and necrosis zone, the presence of single hair follicles.

Conclusion: Thus, the present study showed that hydrogel preparations from lyophilisate of decellularized human tissues and hydrogel modified with genipin have a positive effect on the dynamics of the course of the wound process of LRI in laboratory animals, no irritating effect on the skin was detected.