Hydrogels Made with Tilapia Fish Skin Increase Collagen Production and Have an Effect on MMP-2/MMP-9 Enzymes in Burn Treatment

Background/Objectives: Burns are a prevalent health concern that manifest on the skin's surface or within organs due to various traumas and necessitate prompt intervention. The healing process of the skin involves a sequence of time-dependent events, commencing with the activation of growth factors and culminating in the expression of various genes. To expedite the healing process of burn wounds, there is a need to develop biodegradable materials and new technologies that are compatible with the skin. Methods: In this study, the roles of tilapia (TL, Oreochromis niloticus) fish skin in burn wound treatment processes were investigated. TL or TL-alginate hydrogels (AGTL) were applied to a burn wound created in Sprague Dawley rats for 7 and 14 days. Following the administration of treatment, the levels of hydroxyproline, a critical element in tissue reorganization, along with the gene expression levels of COL1A1, COL3A1, MMP-2, and MMP-9, and the protein expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were evaluated. Results: Wound closure processes were faster in AGTL-groups compared to TL-groups, and hydroxyproline levels were found to be higher. While the increase in MMP-2 levels was less, the increase in MMP-9 gene and protein levels was greater in the AGTL-group. Concurrently, COL1A1 levels decreased over 14 days, while COL3A1 levels increased in the AGTL-group. Conclusions: Consequently, it was determined that the biological substances in the TL structure, in conjunction with alginate, were effective in the healing and reorganization of the wound tissue. This finding suggests that tilapia may provide a valuable source of insights for future studies aimed at developing effective wound dressings for wound tissues.