Development of bovine elastin/tannic acid bioactive conjugate: physicochemical, morphological, and wound healing properties

Abstract Elastin is a functional protein of the dermal extracellular matrix and a critical component of skin wound healing. In severe wounds, skin cells do not produce enough elastin; therefore, the ability to transfer elastin to tissue is highly advantageous. This study aims to develop and characterize the bovine elastin/tannic acid (E/T) conjugate for wound healing applications. A simple conjugation method between the extracted bovine elastin (E) and tannic acid (T) was applied herein. The developed E/T conjugate showed the best binding efficiency besides controlled delivery of T content up to 7 days in acidic, alkaline, and aqueous media. The E/T conjugate exhibited great T content stability when stored at 40 °C for 60 days. The incorporation of T into E significantly improved the moisture, swelling, and solubility properties of the E/T conjugate. The micro-morphological study of the E/T conjugate confirmed the deposition of T on E fibers, whereas FTIR spectra of the E/T conjugate demonstrated the interaction between E and T functional groups. Markedly improved thermal stability was demonstrated for E/T conjugate over native E via thermogravimetric analysis. In vivo studies on Wistar rats demonstrated that the E/T conjugate considerably impacts the wound closure rate, scar disappearance, and acceleration of the wound healing process compared to the native E. According to these findings, the newly developed E/T conjugate can be used as a potential biomedical product in wound healing applications.