Actin exposure upon tissue injury is a targetable wound site-specific protein marker

BackgroundIdentification of wound-specific markers would represent an important step toward damaged tissue detection and targeted delivery of biologically important materials to injured sites. Such delivery could minimize the amount of therapeutic materials that must be administered and limit potential collateral damage on nearby normal tissues. Yet, biological markers that are specific for injured tissue sites remain elusive.MethodsIn this study, we have developed an immunohistological approach for identification of protein epitopes specifically exposed in wounded tissue sites.ResultsUsing ex-vivo tissue samples in combination with fluorescently-labeled antibodies we show that actin, an intracellular cytoskeletal protein, is specifically exposed upon injury. The targetability of actin in injured sites has been demonstrated in vivo through the specific delivery of anti-actin conjugated particles to the wounded tissue in a lethal rat model of grade IV liver injury.ConclusionsThese results illustrate that identification of injury-specific protein markers and their targetability for specific delivery is feasible.General significanceIdentification of wound-specific targets has important medical applications as it could enable specific delivery of various products, such as expression vectors, therapeutic drugs, hemostatic materials, tissue healing, or scar prevention agents, to internal sites of penetrating or surgical wounds regardless of origin, geometry or location.     

Reduced cell cohesiveness of outgrowths from eccrine sweat glands delays wound closure in elderly skin

Human skin heals more slowly in aged vs. young adults, but the mechanism for this delay is unclear. In humans, eccrine sweat glands (ESGs) and hair follicles underlying wounds generate cohesive keratinocyte outgrowths that expand to form the new epidermis. Here, we compared the re‐epithelialization of partial‐thickness wounds created on the forearm of healthy young (< 40 yo) and aged (> 70 yo) adults. Our results confirm that the outgrowth of cells from ESGs is a major feature of repair in young skin. Strikingly, in aged skin, although ESG density is unaltered, less than 50% of the ESGs generate epithelial outgrowths during repair (vs. 100% in young). Surprisingly, aging does not alter the wound‐induced proliferation response in hair follicles or ESGs. Instead, there is an overall reduced cohesiveness of keratinocytes in aged skin. Reduced cell–cell cohesiveness was most obvious in ESG‐derived outgrowths that, when present, were surrounded by unconnected cells in the scab overlaying aged wounds. Reduced cell–cell contact persisted during the repair process, with increased intercellular spacing and reduced number of desmosomes. Together, reduced outgrowths of ESG (i) reduce the initial number of cells participating in epidermal repair, (ii) delay wound closure, and (iii) lead to a thinner repaired epidermis in aged vs. young skin. Failure to form cohesive ESG outgrowths may reflect impaired interactions of keratinocytes with the damaged ECM in aged skin. Our findings provide a framework to better understand the mediators of delayed re‐epithelialization in aging and further support the importance of ESGs for the repair of human wounds.     

续断对兔骨折愈合过程中相关基因表达和血钙、磷含量的影响

本研究通过检测中药材续断对家兔骨折模型愈合过程中与成骨密切相关基因的表达,以及血清中钙、磷含量变化,探讨其对骨折愈合的促进机制。构建家兔骨折缺损模型,术后按组分别给予续断和蒸馏水灌胃,并分别检测骨保护素(OPG)、骨保护素配体(OPGL)、局部转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)和骨形态发生蛋白-2(BMP-2)的基因表达以及血清中Ca、P、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)含量。结果表明,续断治疗组中血钙、血磷和ALP的含量在灌胃第2周,第3周和第4周后均有明显升高,且在第三周时达到最大值。同时,OPG、TGF-β1、BMP-2三个基因在用续断治疗的不同时期呈现不同程度的表达上调,OPGL则在治疗早期表达下调。推测续断对骨折的治疗可能是通过调控OPG、OPGL、TGF-β1、BMP-2等基因在骨愈合不同阶段的表达量和血清中Ca、P、ALP的含量来促进骨骼生长。     

丝素蛋白材料在皮肤创伤愈合中的研究进展

摘要：丝素蛋白是一种天然的高分子纤维蛋白,其结构的特殊性决定了较好的机械性能,再因其优良的生物相容性、降解产物无毒等特点,被广泛用于各种材料的研究。通过各种化学修饰和负载生长因子等,使丝素蛋白在体内外具有促进成纤维细胞增殖分化的作用,拥有诱导创面愈合的功能,同时其可部分降解,具有缓释性能好,柔韧性强,透气以及透水等较好的理化性质不但在皮肤组织工程学中的广泛的应用,并且在敷料领域的研究也显示了其治疗烧烫伤、创伤达到抑制疤痕、促进伤口快速愈合的治疗效果。总之,通过改良丝素蛋白材料的加工方法,通过化学修饰、其他物质复合等手段得到适合于皮肤修复的具有优良性能的各种材料,是具有很大潜力的极具临床价值的皮肤修复材料。本文旨在综述国内及国外学者的各种关于丝素蛋白生物材料治疗皮肤损伤的研究最新进展。     

Absence of estrogen receptor beta leads to abnormal adipogenesis during early tendon healing by an up‐regulation of PPARγ signalling

Achilles tendon injury is one of the challenges of sports medicine, the aetiology of which remains unknown. For a long time, estrogen receptor β (ERβ) has been known as a regulating factor of the metabolism in many connective tissues, such as bone, muscle and cartilage, but little is known about its role in tendon. Recent studies have implicated ERβ as involved in the process of tendon healing. Tendon‐derived stem cells (TDSCs) are getting more and more attention in tendon physiological and pathological process. In this study, we investigated how ERβ played a role in Achilles tendon healing. Achilles tendon injury model was established to analyse how ERβ affected on healing process in vivo. Cell proliferation assay, Western blots, qRT‐PCR and immunocytochemistry were performed to investigate the effect of ERβ on TDSCs. Here, we showed that ERβ deletion in mice resulted in inferior gross appearance, histological scores and, most importantly, increased accumulation of adipocytes during the early tendon healing which involved activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) signalling. Furthermore, in vitro results of ours confirmed that the abnormity might be the result of abnormal TDSC adipogenic differentiation which could be partially reversed by the treatment of ERβ agonist LY3201. These data revealed a role of ERβ in Achilles tendon healing for the first time, thereby providing a new target for clinical treatment of Achilles tendon injury.     

A phase II randomized clinical trial for the treatment of recalcitrant chronic leg ulcers using centrifuged adipose tissue containing progenitor cells

Background aims

Preclinical and observational reports indicate that adipose tissue (AT) is a safe and promising tool to treat non-healing venous leg ulcers (VLUs).

Keratinocytes derived from embryonic stem cells induce wound healing in mice

The skin plays an important role in defending the body against the environment. Treatments for burns and skin injuries that use autologous or allogenic skin grafts derived from adult or embryonic stem cells are promising. Embryonic stem cells are candidates for regenerative and reparative medicine. We investigated the utility of keratinocyte-like cells, which are differentiated from mouse embryonic stem cells, for wound healing using a mouse surgical wound model. Mice were allocated to the following groups: experimental, in which dressing and differentiated cells were applied after the surgical wound was created; control, in which only the surgical wound was created; sham, in which only the dressing was applied after the surgical wound was created; and untreated animal controls with healthy skin. Biopsies were taken from each group on days 3, 5 and 7 after cell transfer. Samples were fixed in formalin, then stained with Masson’s trichrome and primary antibodies to interleukin-8 (IL-8), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), collagen-1 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique for light microscopy. Wound healing was faster in the experimental group compared to the sham and control groups. The experimental group exhibited increased expression of IL-8, FGF-2 and MCP-1 during early stages of wound healing (inflammation) and collagen-1 and EGF expression during late stages of wound healing (proliferation and remodeling). Keratinocytes derived from embryonic stem cells improved wound healing and influenced the wound healing stages.     

Wound healing effects of methanol extract of Laurocerasus officinalis roem

Laurocerasus officinalis Roem. (syn: Prunus laurocerasus L.) is a member of Rosaceae family. We investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of L. officinalis Roem in wound healing both in vivo and in vitro using an excisional wound model model in mice. We used four groups of eight mice as follows: untreated (control), empty gel, extract + gel (L. officinalis + gel), and Madecassol® groups. All treatments were applied topically once daily. The scar area, percentage wound closure and epithelization time were measured. L. officinalis promoted wound healing and increased granulation tissue, epidermal regeneration and angiogenesis. L. officinalis extract, which is known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, may be useful for promoting wound healing.