AUTHOR=Ruggeri Marco , Miele Dalila , Contardi Marco , Vigani Barbara , Boselli Cinzia , Icaro Cornaglia Antonia , Rossi Silvia , Suarato Giulia , Athanassiou Athanassia , Sandri Giuseppina 

TITLE=Mycelium-based biomaterials as smart devices for skin wound healing

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1225722

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2023.1225722

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Recently, mycelia of <italic>Ganoderma lucidum</italic> and <italic>Pleurotus ostreatus</italic>, edible fungi, have been characterized <italic>in vitro</italic> as self-growing biomaterials for tissue engineering since they are constituted of interconnected fibrous networks resembling the dermal collagen structure.</p><p><bold>Aim:</bold> This work aims to investigate the biopharmaceutical properties of <italic>G. lucidum</italic> and <italic>P. ostreatus</italic> mycelia to prove their safety and effectiveness in tissue engineering as dermal substitutes.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The mycelial materials were characterized using a multidisciplinary approach, including physicochemical properties (morphology, thermal behavior, surface charge, and isoelectric point). Moreover, preclinical properties such as gene expression and <italic>in vitro</italic> wound healing assay have been evaluated using fibroblasts. Finally, these naturally-grown substrates were applied <italic>in vivo</italic> using a murine burn/excisional wound model.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Both <italic>G. lucidum</italic> and <italic>P. ostreatus</italic> mycelia are biocompatible and able to safely and effectively enhance tissue repair <italic>in vivo</italic> in our preclinical model.</p>