title: Wound closure with EDC cross-linked cultured skin substitutes grafted to athymic mice.
abstract: Collagen-glycosaminoglycan (C-GAG) sponges are commonly utilized as a substitute for the extracellular matrix of dermal tissue. Cultured skin substitutes (CSS) were assessed, after fabrication using sponges cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-3-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) at 0, 1, 5, or 50 mm, for development of viable, stratified skin tissue anatomy in vitro, and for wound contraction and cell viability in vivo. Cross-linking the C-GAG sponges with EDC reduced in vitro contraction of the CSS from a 39% reduction in area in the 0 mm CSS to 0% in the 50 mm group. Conversely, the wounds closed with 0, 1 and 5 mm EDC groups exhibited significantly less wound contraction than the 50 mm group. Engraftment of human cells occurred in 86%, 83%, and 83% of the wounds treated with CSS fabricated using 0, 1, and 5 mm EDC cross-linked sponges, respectively, which were significantly higher engraftment rates than the 50 mm group (17%). These data suggest that low concentrations of EDC can be used to improve the biochemical stability of the C-GAG component of CSS in vitro, and promote stable wound closure.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Shriners Burns Hospital, 3229 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. hpowell@shrinenet.org
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Steven T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Boyce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D005022:Ethyldimethylaminopropyl Carbodiimide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C041829:1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide methiodide; D003094:Collagen; D005022:Ethyldimethylaminopropyl Carbodiimide