This study explored the feasibility of using fish skin bandages as a therapeutic option for third-degree skin burns. Following the California wildfires, clinical observations of animals with third-degree skin burns demonstrated increased comfort levels and reduced pain when treated with tilapia fish skin. Proteomic analysis of the fish skin revealed the presence of antimicrobial peptides. In combination with histological and other data, these results suggest that fish skin can serve as an innovative and cost-effective therapeutic alternative for burn victims to facilitate vascularization and reduce bacterial infection.

Mouse skin tissue was processed for proteomics using trypsin digestion and then analyzed by data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry (DDA LCMS). A spectral library was generated and filtered to remove transitions with interferences and low abundance peptides and proteins. Samples were then acquired using data-independent acquisition (DIA) and proteomes of the treatment groups quantitatively compared with Skyline and MSstats.

In this study, mice with third-degree burns were treated with either a hydrocolloid adhesive bandage (control) (n = 16) or fish skin (n = 16) 7 days post-burn. Mice were subjected to histologic, hematologic, molecular, and gross evaluation at days 7, 16, and 28 post-burn. Tissue samples collected for proteomics analysis were flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen before protein extraction and trypsin digestion.