There is now an engineered "living bandages" that could offer a new way to treat chronic wounds by delivering healing signals directly where the body needs them most. Researchers at Rice University developed a cytokine factory patch that continuously releases therapeutic proteins inside wounds.
Chronic wounds remain difficult to treat because the body often struggles to maintain the immune signals needed for tissue repair. Existing therapies also face limitations because healing proteins degrade quickly and fail to remain at the wound site for long periods.
The Rice team designed the patch as a cell-based delivery platform that uses engineered cells as miniature factories. These cells continuously produce cytokines over extended periods instead of releasing them in short bursts.
Cytokines are signaling proteins that regulate inflammation, immune activity, and tissue regeneration. By delivering them directly at the wound site, the patch aims to maintain a stable healing environment during recovery.
The device came from the laboratory of Omid Veiseh. Researchers encapsulated ARPE-19 cells engineered to secrete cytokines including IL-10, IL-12 and TGF-β inside a protective biocompatible matrix.
The matrix allows nutrients and therapeutic proteins to move through the material while shielding the engineered cells from the host immune system. Researchers said this setup helps sustain localized cytokine delivery for longer periods.
In preclinical studies, the patch accelerated healing in excisional wound models in mice and pigs. The findings highlighted the potential of sustained, localized immune modulation during tissue repair.
"The findings show how continuous, localized cytokine delivery can support key biological pathways involved in tissue repair," Veiseh said. He added that maintaining a steady supply of signaling molecules at the wound site helped engage the body’s natural healing response more effectively.
Researchers also examined how the patch influenced biological activity at the cellular level. RNA sequencing revealed activation of several pathways associated with wound healing after treatment.
Transcriptomic analysis showed increased activity in genes linked to tissue regeneration and immune modulation. The results provided a molecular explanation for the faster healing observed in the animal models.
The platform also offers flexibility beyond a single treatment strategy. Researchers designed the system so scientists can modify the engineered cells to produce different combinations of cytokines, growth factors, or therapeutic proteins.
That modular structure could help tailor future treatments for different wound types and diseases. The team also integrated an optimized hydrogel matrix that may eventually work alongside bioelectronic technologies.
Researchers believe the cytokine factory concept could extend beyond wound healing. They said the platform may support localized delivery of therapeutic proteins in diseases that require sustained, site-specific immune signaling. Christian Schreib, assistant research professor in Rice’s bioengineering department and co-author of the study, said the team now plans to improve control over cytokine delivery.
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