Healing Protein
Non-healing chronic wounds are common in patients with diabetes mellitus or thermal burns and are the main cause of amputation and a decrease in the emotional well-being of patients. The healing disorder is associated with the loss of the extracellular matrix, which is involved in tissue repair. Thus, timely replenishment of the main proteins of the extracellular matrix can accelerate wound healing.
In a new study by the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Singapore, timely induction or exogenous administration of the extracellular matrix proteoglycan agrin contributed to accelerated healing of damaged skin tissues. Using human tissues and mouse models, the researchers found that physical damage to the skin enhances the expression of agrin, which preserves the mechanical architecture of damaged skin layers during tissue repair.
Collaborating with the Institute of Mechanobiology of the National University of Singapore, the group also discovered that a recombinant fragment of agrin, c-agrin, which is easy to create, can improve healing when applied in the form of a hydrogel to damaged skin.
In mice, c-agrin therapy provided accelerated healing compared to collagen gels available on the market. In addition to faster wound healing, agrin has led to the preservation of the wound microenvironment, which, in turn, also accelerates tissue repair. The obtained results open up the potential for the development of wound-healing biomaterials based on agrin, which would help patients with chronic wounds and ulcers.
The research team plans to continue testing agrin therapy on animal models of chronic wounds, as well as to develop scaffolds with agrin created using bioprinting that would repair damaged tissues.
Article by S.Chakraborty et al. Agrin-Matrix Metalloproteinase-12 axis confers a mechanically competent microenvironment in skin wound healing published in the journal Nature Communications.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR): A novel protein therapy for efficient skin wound healing.