Down-Regulating Scar Formation by Microneedles Directly via a Mechanical Communication Pathway

Abstract

Excessive extracellular matrix deposition drives fibroblasts into a state of high mechanical stress, exacerbating pathological fibrosis and hypertrophic scar formation, leading to tissue dysfunction. This study reports a minimally invasive and convenient approach to obtaining scarless tissue using a silk fibroin microneedle patch (SF MNs). We found that by tuning the MN size and density only, the biocompatible MNs significantly decreased the scar elevation index in the rabbit ear hypertrophic scar model and increased ultimate tensile strength close to regular skin. To advance our understanding of this recent approach, we built a fibroblast-populated collagen lattice system and finite element model to study MN-mediated cellular behavior of fibroblasts. We found that the MNs reduced the fibroblasts generated contraction and mechanical stress, as indicated by decreased expression of the mechanical sensitive gene ANKRD1. Specifically, SF MNs attenuated the integrin-FAK signaling and consequently down-regulated the expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA, collagen I, and fibronectin. It resulted in a low-stress microenvironment that helps to reduce scar formation significantly. Microneedles' physical intervention via the mechanotherapeutic strategy is promising for scar-free wound healing.