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Presentation date

Summer 8-21-2026

College

College of Medicine

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic soft tissue injuries cause pain, functional impairment, and long-term disability. Current treatments often lead to excessive fibrosis and scar formation, compromising tissue function and increasing the risk of re-injury. Therefore, therapies that accelerate wound healing while promoting regeneration and minimizing fibrosis are urgently needed.

To address this challenge, we developed an ionically conducting (IC) bandage that combines localized electrical stimulation (ES) with sustained delivery of the small molecule 4-aminopyridine (4AP). This multifunctional platform integrates biophysical and pharmacological cues to enhance the wound healing microenvironment. ES promotes cell migration, proliferation, angiogenesis, collagen remodeling, and extracellular matrix organization while reducing scar stiffness, thereby improving local drug diffusion and enhancing the regenerative efficacy of 4AP for functional soft tissue repair.

Methods: The anti-inflammatory effect of 4AP was tested in vitro on human fibroblast and RAW264.7 cells treated with LPS (1mg/ml) to induce inflammation and stress the cells in a serum deprived condition. The efficacy of these bandages where 4AP is encapsulated was evaluated in a 2 cm2 full-thickness skin wounds made in diabetic rats for 14 days. Wound closure rate, histological analysis and gene expression were conducted to evaluate scar reduction and healing process.

Results: The combined treatment reduced the proinflammatory related genes expression (IL-1b, IL-6) in normal and diabetic dermal fibroblast. In diabetic rat model, the combined treatment accelerated wound closure rate and significantly reduced the scar elevation index (SEI) compared to no repair and wound treated with power heal bandages. Neurotrophic factors, matrix protein, and vasculature were significantly expressed in the combined treatment promoting wound healing and scar reduction.

Conclusion: The IC bandage effectively modulated inflammation, accelerated wound closure rate, and reduced scar formation in diabetic wounds. These findings demonstrate the potential of this multifunctional platform as a promising regenerative therapy for improving soft tissue repair.

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Keywords

Wound Healing, Immunomodulation, 4-aminopyridine, Electrical Stimulation

Dual Immunomodulatory and Wound-Healing Effects of 4-Aminopyridine and Electrical Stimulation

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