Fibronectin and wound healing

I have tried to briefly review the evidence (summarized in Table II) indicating that fibronectin is important in cutaneous wound healing. Fibronectin appears to be an important factor throughout this process. It promotes the spreading of platelets at the site of injury, the adhesion and migration of neutrophils, monocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells into the wound region, and the migration of epidermal cells through the granulation tissue. At the level of matrix synthesis, fibronectin appears to be involved both in the organization of the granulation tissue and basement membrane. In terms of tissue remodeling, fibronectin functions as a nonimmune opsonin for phagocytosis of debris by fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and under some circumstances, macrophages. Fibronectin also enhances the phagocytosis of immune-opsonized particles by monocytes, but whether this includes phagocytosis of bacteria remains to be determined. In general, phagocytosis of bacteria has not appeared to involve fibronectin. On the contrary, the presence of fibronectin in the wound bed may promote bacterial attachment and infection. Because of the ease of experimental manipulations, wound healing experiments have been carried out on skin more frequently than other tissues. As a result, the possible role of fibronectin has not been investigated thoroughly in the repair of internal organs and tissues. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to speculate that fibronectin plays a central role in all wound healing situations. Finally, the wound healing problems of patients with severe factor XIII deficiencies may occur because of their inability to incorporate fibronectin into blood clots.     

Energy metabolism in the granulation tissue of diabetic rats during cutaneous wound healing

The skin cells chiefly depend on carbohydrate metabolism for their energy requirement during cutaneous wound healing. Since the glucose metabolism is greatly hampered in diabetes and this might affect wound repair process. This prompted us to investigate the intermediate steps of energy metabolism by measuring enzyme activities in the wound tissues of normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats following excision-type of cutaneous injury. The activities of key regulatory enzymes namely hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS) and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) have been monitored in the granulation tissues of normal and diabetic rats at different time points (2, 7, 14 and 21 days) of postwounding. Interestingly, a significant alteration in all these enzyme activities was observed in diabetic rats. The activity of PFK was increased but HK, LDH and CS showed a decreased activity in the wound tissue of diabetics as compared to normal rats. However G6PD exhibited an elevated activity only at early stage of healing in diabetic rats. Thus, the results suggest that significant alterations in the activities of energy metabolizing enzymes in the wound tissue of diabetic rats may affect the energy availability for cellular activity needed for repair process and this may perhaps be one of the factor responsible for impaired healing in these subjects. (Mol Cell Biochem 270: 71–77, 2005)     

Thrombospondin-1 suppresses wound healing and granulation tissue formation in the skin of transgenic mice

The function of the endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in tissue repair has remained controversial. We established transgenic mice with targeted overexpression of TSP-1 in the skin, using a keratin 14 expression cassette. TSP-1 transgenic mice were healthy and fertile, and did not show any major abnormalities of normal skin vascularity, cutaneous vascular architecture, or microvascular permeability. However, healing of full-thickness skin wounds was greatly delayed in TSP-1 transgenic mice and was associated with reduced granulation tissue formation and highly diminished wound angiogenesis. Moreover, TSP-1 potently inhibited fibroblast migration in vivo and in vitro. These findings demonstrate that TSP-1 preferentially interfered with wound healing-associated angiogenesis, rather than with the angiogenesis associated with normal development and skin homeostasis, and suggest that therapeutic application of angiogenesis inhibitors might potentially be associated with impaired wound vascularization and tissue repair.     

Soft tissue mechanotransduction in wound healing and fibrosis

Recent evidence suggests that mechanical forces can significantly impact the biologic response to injury. Integrated mechanical and chemical signaling networks have been discovered that enable physical cues to regulate disease processes such as pathologic scar formation. Distinct molecular mechanisms control how tensional forces influence wound healing and fibrosis. Conceptual frameworks to understand cutaneous repair have expanded beyond traditional cell-cytokine models to include dynamic interactions driven by mechanical force and the extracellular matrix. Strategies to manipulate these biomechanical signaling networks have tremendous therapeutic potential to reduce scar formation and promote skin regeneration.     

Fibronectin is overproduced by keloid fibroblasts during abnormal wound healing.

Wound healing in certain individuals leads to the development of keloid tumors which exhibit abnormal collagen metabolism and an increased abundance of extracellular matrix components. Comparison of fibronectin levels in fibroblasts derived from keloids and normal dermis revealed a relative increase in intracellular and extracellular fibronectin in the keloid-derived cells. While fibronectin was similarly processed, compartmentalized, and degraded by both cell types, fibronectin biosynthesis was found to be accelerated as much as fourfold in keloid fibroblasts due to a corresponding increase in the amount of accumulated fibronectin mRNA. These changes account for the elevated steady-state level of the molecule in keloid fibroblasts and suggest that increased fibronectin in keloid lesions is due to overproduction by the wound-healing fibroblasts. Glucocorticoid treatment stimulated fibronectin biosynthesis in both normal and keloid fibroblasts. However, the amount of stimulation was less for the keloid-derived cells, indicating a limitation on maximal rates of fibronectin biosynthesis. These observations suggest that separate mechanisms act to control basal and maximal rates of fibronectin production. Biosynthesis of the 140-kilodalton fibronectin receptor was also found to be increased in keloid fibroblasts, suggesting some level of coordinate regulation for fibronectin and fibronectin receptor expression.     

Fibronectin (FN) localizations in early wound healing of cultured frog skins

The wound healing process of frog skin fragments in epibolic cultures has provided information on FN localizations during the migration of keratinocytes. Mainly two FN localizations were studied by indirect immunodetections: Epidermal localization around keratinocytes which have acquired a fibroblastic shape. Dermal localizations of the sectioned collagen of the stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum detected at the beginning of the culture. Both localizations were observed in this epibolic wound healing process during 6 hr and 24 hr in culture and showed a differential sensitivity to cycloheximide (CHX). It was worth noting that fibronectin was permanently detected in the subcutaneous tissue of non-cultured or cultured skin fragments with or without CHX.     

Origin of fibroblasts and macrophages of skin wound granulation tissue]

By the method of thymidine autoradiography and fluorescing antibodies, the origin of cells participating in healing the experimentally produced wounds was investigated. 3H-thymidine was administered a day before the production of the wounds. 14C-thymidine was injected impulsively 1 h before the material was fixed 1,3 and 8 days after the trauma. The analysis of the autographs demonstrated that during wound healing the cell-precursors of macrophages and fibroblasts migrate from beyond the limits of the connective tissue. By means of the fluorescing antibodies in mouse radiation xenogenic chimaeras it was demonstrated that macrophages and fibroblasts participating in wound healing take their origin from the donor's elements, that is, are of bone marrow origin.     

Ultrastructural findings in the wound healing of the colonic mucosa of rabbits

The wound healing of the rabbit colonic mucosa after experimental excision was observed with the electron microscope. Between 5 and 7 days, considerable numbers of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells (group I), differentiating muscle cells (group II) and histiocyte-like cells (group III) appear in the regions where the muscularis mucosae is re-establishing. Our electron micrographs indicate that group I cells are stem cells which differentiate to group II cells involved in muscle regeneration or to group III cells involved in phagocytosis. The mitotic proliferation of pre-existing smooth-muscle cells at the ulcer margin does not seem to be the major reason for the re-establishment of the muscular layer. Multinucleated cells occurring in this healing mucosa are considered to be formed by successive fusions between the group III cells and to play a role in enclosure of cell debris such as fragments of elastin.     

Therapeutic potential of electromagnetic fields for tissue engineering and wound healing

Ability of electromagnetic fields (EMF) to stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation has attracted the attention of many laboratories specialized in regenerative medicine over the past number of decades. Recent studies have shed light on bio‐effects induced by the EMF and how they might be harnessed to help control tissue regeneration and wound healing. Number of recent reports suggests that EMF has a positive impact at different stages of healing. Processes impacted by EMF include, but are not limited to, cell migration and proliferation, expression of growth factors, nitric oxide signalling, cytokine modulation, and more. These effects have been detected even during application of low frequencies (range: 30–300 kHz) and extremely low frequencies (range: 3–30 Hz). In this regard, special emphasis of this review is the applications of extremely low‐frequency EMFs due to their bio‐safety and therapeutic efficacy. The article also discusses combinatorial effect of EMF and mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and bone tissue engineering. In addition, we discuss future perspectives of application of EMF for tissue engineering and use of metal nanoparticles activated by EMF for drug delivery and wound dressing.     

巨噬细胞与创伤愈合

巨噬细胞是创伤愈合过程中一系列复杂反应中的关键环节,它调节成纤维细胞和血管内皮细胞的生物学活性,在创伤愈合过程中占有不可替代的作用。加强巨噬细胞功能和应用细胞因匀能有效地促进创伤愈合。     

瘦素与创伤愈合

瘦素作为一种多靶器官、多功能的生长因子,它在机体中具有广泛的生理作用。瘦素可能是一种新的促创伤愈合因子,它参与了创伤愈合进程的调节,腹膜内注射瘦素或局部涂抹瘦素加速了动物伤口愈合的速度。本文主要综述了近年来瘦素促进伤口愈合作用的研究现状,并从瘦素在伤口愈合过程中对上皮再生、胶原合成、血管生成、炎症反应等几方面的作用,探讨了瘦素通过调控其它促创伤愈合因子的生成及活性来发挥促伤口愈合作用的机制与途径。     

Cigarette smoke extracts delay wound healing in the stomach: involvement of polyamine synthesis

The association between cigarette smoking and peptic ulcer diseases has been well established. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is crucial for the gastroprotective and mucosal growth promoting effects in gastric ulcer healing. The aim of this study is to elucidate the possible mechanism of how inhibition of ODC activity is involved in the delay of ulcer healing, if any, by cigarette smoke extracts (CSE). CSE were fractionated into chloroform extract (CE) and ethanol extract (EE). In in vivo study, rats with acetic acid-induced ulcers were given CE or EE intragastrically (2.5 or 5 mg/kg) once daily for 3 days. Ulcer sizes were significantly larger after CE or EE administration, followed by an increase in myeloperoxidase activity and a reduction in cell proliferation. However, both CSE stimulated the number of microvessels following the increase of basic fibroblast growth factor. In in vitro studies, the effect of CE or EE (10, 40, or 100 microg/ml) on cell migration and cell proliferation were measured using an in vitro wound model and [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation assay, respectively. Both CSE delayed cell migration and decreased cell proliferation, which were accompanied with a reduction in ODC activity. Exogenous spermidine (5 or 10 microM) could reverse the inhibitory action on cell proliferation and ODC activity induced by CSE. In conclusion, both CSE significantly delayed ulcer healing as a result of reduction in cell proliferation and cell migration. All these effects are, in part, related to the reduction of polyamine synthesis.