ELECTROSKIN is an interdisciplinary project that explore new strategies based on energy harvesting and energy transformation tools aimed at improving skin wound healing. The project joins two different research fields, electronic engineering and tissue regeneration, and two research groups from different countries of the European Union.
Electrical stimulation has demonstrated to be beneficial to treat and regenerate various tissues. In epithelium of healthy skin, a constant electric potential is maintained. When skin layers are damaged, their electric resistance disappears and results in electric field created locally in the injured epithelium. However, endogenous electric fields are compromised or absent in chronic wounds. Diabetic skin and normal skin of old patients had lower transepithelial potential and reduced electrical currents in wounded skin, in connection with the delay in impaired microcirculation. Chronic wounds include pressure ulcers, venous leg ulcers, arterial ulcers, neurotrophic ulcers, and foot ulcers in people with diabetes. It is estimated that 1-2% of the population will experience a chronic wound during their lifetime. Moreover, it is considered that the number of patients suffering from non-healing wounds is reaching epidemic proportions. In nationals’ healthcare systems, chronic wounds impose an immense financial burden, as well as productivity. It is therefore necessary to continue working on new therapeutic strategies to improve wound healing.
The use of exogenous electric fields to enhance wound healing is an interesting approach. However, the way how to apply the electric fields is under study. The use of traditional electrodes to create electric fields has the disadvantages of low spatial resolution and the need for external electrical sources. In ELECTROSKIN project, we propose the use of piezoelectric nanogenerators, which create an inherent electric field when they are strained, to treat chronic wounds. The local electric field created at the interest site is produced without the need for external power and electrodes. To achieve this general purpose, we defined specific objectives. The first step has been to determine the safety of the new piezoelectric nanogenerators fabricated. Then, to better understand the effect of piezoelectric nanogenerators on skin tissue, we proposed the development of an in vitro 3D skin construct that intend to mimic the in vivo conditions. The 3D skin construct would allow the integration of the nanogenerators and be a model for the study of other materials for skin regeneration. Finally, the effect of electric fields generated by the nanogenerators on skin cells have been analysed using cell culture characterization that include gene expression and protein synthesis.
