Clotting Mimicry from Robust Hemostatic Bandages Based on Self-Assembling Peptides.
Uncontrolled bleeding from traumatic wounds is a major factor in deaths resulting from military conflict, accidents, disasters and crime. Self-assembling peptide nanofibers have shown superior hemostatic activity, and herein, we elucidate their mechanism by visualizing the formation of nanofiber-based clots that aggregate blood components with a similar morphology to fibrin-based clots. Furthermore, to enhance its direct application to a wound, we developed layer-by-layer assembled thin film coatings onto common materials used for wound dressings-gauze and gelatin sponges. We find these nanofibers elute upon hydration under physiological conditions and generate nanofiber-based clots with blood. After exposure to a range of harsh temperature conditions (-80 to 60 °C) for a week and even 5 months at 60 °C, these hemostatic bandages remain capable of releasing active nanofibers. In addition, the application of these nanofiber-based films from gauze bandages was found to accelerate hemostasis in porcine skin wounds as compared to plain gauze. The thermal robustness, in combination with the self-assembling peptide's potent hemostatic activity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low cost of production, makes this a promising approach for a cheap yet effective hemostatic bandage.
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.|Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Bryan B
BB
Hsu
William
W
Conway
Harvard-Thorndike Electrophysiology Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.
Cory M
CM
Tschabrunn
3-D Matrix Medical Technology , Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States.
Manav
M
Mehta
School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States.
Monica B
MB
Perez-Cuevas
Center for Bits & Atoms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Shuguang
S
Zhang
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.|Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Paula T
PT
Hammond
D000818:Animals; D001458:Bandages; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006490:Hemostatics; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013552:Swine; D058106:Wound Closure Techniques; D014945:Wound Healing
D006490:Hemostatics; D010455:Peptides
bleeding; blood clots; hemorrhage; nanofibers; wound dressings