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<p>Wound healing is a complex biological process involving coordinated molecular signalling, angiogenesis, tissue remodelling, and extracellular matrix formation. Bioactive polymeric dressings have attracted increasing interest as supportive materials for improving tissue repair. The present study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties, surface morphology, and wound-healing-associated response of vitamin A-reinforced chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) composite films. An optimized CS/PVA film with a 98:2 ratio was prepared and reinforced with varying levels of vitamin A. Tensile testing was performed to assess Young’s modulus, maximum stress, and maximum strain, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine surface morphology and nanoscale structural features. The biological response was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression at Days 0, 3, 7, and 14. Histopathological analysis was performed to assess the inflammatory response, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, and tissue remodelling in the untreated control, MEBO-treated, and CS/PVA-vitamin A-treated groups. Vitamin A reinforcement improved the mechanical performance of the composite films, with the most favorable response observed at 1.25% vitamin A. SEM analysis revealed granular microdomains and nanoscale surface features ranging from 64 to 143&#xa0;nm, suggesting microstructural reorganization within the polymer matrix. VEGF expression showed a time-dependent pattern, with higher expression during the early healing phase followed by a gradual decrease toward Day 14, indicating changes in angiogenesis-related activity during wound repair. Histopathological findings showed that the CS/PVA-vitamin A-treated group exhibited improved wound-healing features, including enhanced re-epithelialization, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and mature granulation tissue formation, compared with the untreated control group. These findings suggest that the optimized CS/PVA-vitamin A composite film may serve as a promising wound-dressing biomaterial with improved mechanical integrity and favourable wound-healing responses. However, because the in vivo experiment did not include a CS/PVA-only group without vitamin A, the specific biological contribution of vitamin A could not be separated from that of the CS/PVA matrix.</p>

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Morphological and Mechanical Characterization of Chitosan/PVA Composites Reinforced with Vitamin A and Their Effect on Gene Expression During Wound Healing

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月5日

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  • Estabraq Hasan Rashed,
  • Hanaa Shuker Mahmood

摘要

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving coordinated molecular signalling, angiogenesis, tissue remodelling, and extracellular matrix formation. Bioactive polymeric dressings have attracted increasing interest as supportive materials for improving tissue repair. The present study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties, surface morphology, and wound-healing-associated response of vitamin A-reinforced chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) composite films. An optimized CS/PVA film with a 98:2 ratio was prepared and reinforced with varying levels of vitamin A. Tensile testing was performed to assess Young’s modulus, maximum stress, and maximum strain, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine surface morphology and nanoscale structural features. The biological response was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression at Days 0, 3, 7, and 14. Histopathological analysis was performed to assess the inflammatory response, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, and tissue remodelling in the untreated control, MEBO-treated, and CS/PVA-vitamin A-treated groups. Vitamin A reinforcement improved the mechanical performance of the composite films, with the most favorable response observed at 1.25% vitamin A. SEM analysis revealed granular microdomains and nanoscale surface features ranging from 64 to 143 nm, suggesting microstructural reorganization within the polymer matrix. VEGF expression showed a time-dependent pattern, with higher expression during the early healing phase followed by a gradual decrease toward Day 14, indicating changes in angiogenesis-related activity during wound repair. Histopathological findings showed that the CS/PVA-vitamin A-treated group exhibited improved wound-healing features, including enhanced re-epithelialization, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and mature granulation tissue formation, compared with the untreated control group. These findings suggest that the optimized CS/PVA-vitamin A composite film may serve as a promising wound-dressing biomaterial with improved mechanical integrity and favourable wound-healing responses. However, because the in vivo experiment did not include a CS/PVA-only group without vitamin A, the specific biological contribution of vitamin A could not be separated from that of the CS/PVA matrix.