Lesional skin in vitiligo exhibits delayed in vivo reepithelialization compared to the nonlesional skin

Vitiligo, a common skin disorder, is characterized by the loss of functional melanocytes resulting in the depigmentation of skin. Previous studies have demonstrated molecular and architectural alterations in the epidermal keratinocytes upon loss of melanocytes. The physiological implications of these “altered” keratinocytes are yet not known. We investigated the wound healing efficiency of lesional vs nonlesional skin in 12 subjects with stable nonsegmental vitiligo using histological and ultrastructural evaluation of partial‐thickness wounds. The wounds were examined 12 days postinjury, coinciding with the reepithelialization phase of healing marked primarily by keratinocyte migration and proliferation. This study demonstrated a significant difference in the reepithelialization potential between the lesional and nonlesional skin. While all 12 nonlesional wounds demonstrated considerable neoepidermis formation on the 12th day post wound, only four of the corresponding lesional samples showed comparable reepithelialization; the rest remaining in the inflammatory phase. Ultrastructural studies using transmission electron microscopy as well as immunohistochemical staining revealed a reduced number of desmosomes, shorter keratin tonofilaments and an increase in myofibroblast population in the dermis of lesional reepithelialized tissue compared to the nonlesional reepithelialized samples. This study implicates gross functional perturbations in the lesional skin during physiological wound healing in vitiligo, suggesting that the breakdown of keratinocyte‐melanocyte network results in delayed wound repair kinetics in the lesional skin when compared to patient‐matched nonlesional skin.     

深Ⅱ度烧伤创面汗腺干细胞标志物的变化规律

目的 了解深Ⅱ度烧伤创面愈合过程中汗腺上皮细胞增殖并向表皮细胞转化的规律,探讨其机制.方法 选择2004年1月-2007年12月,江苏省泰州市第四人民医院和山东大学第二医院收治的四肢与躯干烧伤患者28例.收集患者深Ⅱ度烧伤创面组织标本37块、浅Ⅱ度烧伤创面组织标本21块、正常皮肤标本10块.采用免疫组织化学双染色法,观察细胞角蛋白10(CK10)、CK14、CK19、bel-2和P63在深、浅Ⅱ度烧伤创面及正常皮肤汗腺分泌部上皮细胞中的表达情况.结果 正常皮肤汗腺分泌部上皮细胞中等强度表达CK19、CK14和CK10,基底层肌上皮细胞微弱表达P63和CK14,CK10表达阳性的终末分化细胞不表达bcl-2和P63.浅Ⅱ度烧伤创面修复过程中,其汗腺分泌部结构及上述蛋白表达未见异常.深Ⅱ度烧伤后7 d创面汗腺分泌部上皮细胞P63和bcl-2表达增强;伤后8～10 d创面基底细胞增殖、迁移和鳞状上皮化,形成bcl-2、P63、CK19和CK14表达强阳性的实心岛状上皮结构,并随肉芽组织向创面浅层迁移,经鳞状上皮增殖完成创面再上皮化.深Ⅱ度烧伤创面愈合后13～30 d,超常增殖的表皮基底层和基底上层细胞仍强烈表达bcl-2、CK14、CK19和P63. 结论干细胞和短暂扩充细胞逆分化过程导致上皮生长滞后和肉芽组织过度增殖,这种失衡现象可能是导致深Ⅱ度烧伤创面修复失控的重要机制之一.     

Cultured autologous fibroblasts augment epidermal repair

BACKGROUND: Autologous dermal fibroblasts may be useful in the treatment of skin wounds and for the enhancement of keratinocyte proliferation. This paper addressed the following questions: (1) can cultured fibroblasts (CF) be transplanted as suspensions to full-thickness skin wounds and do they influence wound healing; (2) will the transplanted CF be integrated into the new dermis; (3) can a transgene that encodes a secretable marker, human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), be expressed in the wound fluid by the transplanted CF; and (4) do CF cotransplanted with cultured keratinocytes (CK) influence the rate of wound healing? METHODS: Suspensions of CF were transplanted alone or together with CK to full-thickness wounds covered with liquid-containing chambers in an established porcine model. RESULTS: Transplantation of CF accelerated reepithelialization as determined from wound histologies and sequential measurements of protein efflux over the wound surface. CF transfected with a marker gene, beta-galactosidase, resulted in in vivo gene expression and demonstrated that transplanted CF integrated into the developing dermis. Transplantation of hEGF gene-transfected CF resulted in significant hEGF expression in wound fluid. The hEGF levels peaked at day 1 (2450 pg/ml) and then sharply decreased to low levels on day 6. CF cotransplanted with CK led to greater number of keratinocyte colonies in the wound and accelerated reepithelialization as compared with CK alone. CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted CF integrated into the dermis, accelerated reepithelialization, and improved the outcome of CK transplantation. CF may also be used for the expression of transgenes in wound and wound fluid.     

Keratinocyte outgrowth from human skin explant cultures is dependent upon p38 signaling

Organ culture of skin is known to recapitulate several early events in the process of wound healing. Here we investigate the function of p38 kinase signaling as a regulator of keratinocyte behavior in human skin organ culture. We first show that skin organ culture recapitulates the transition from migration to proliferation that is known to characterize the reepithelialization process. We next show that inhibition of p38 markedly impairs the formation of keratinocyte outgrowth in human skin explant cultures, as well as the migration of keratinocytes in an in vitro wound assay. In contrast, the marked induction of mRNA encoding the ErbB ligand heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, known to occur after skin wounding, was not blocked by inhibition of p38. As assessed by immunoblotting, phosphorylation of p38 was limited and was not increased between 0 and 7 days of organ culture. Our results show the sensitivity of reepithelialization to inhibition by p38 and suggest that p38 acts primarily during the migration phase of this process. These data also indicate that autocrine heparin-binding epidermal growth factor expression is not regulated by p38.     

Wound healing in a fetal,adult, and scar tissue model: A comparative study

Early gestation fetal wounds heal without scar formation. Understanding the mechanism of this scarless healing may lead to new therapeutic strategies for improving adult wound healing. The aims of this study were to develop a human fetal wound model in which fetal healing can be studied and to compare this model with a human adult and scar tissue model. A burn wound (10 × 2 mm) was made in human ex vivo fetal, adult, and scar tissue under controlled and standardized conditions. Subsequently, the skin samples were cultured for 7, 14, and 21 days. Cells in the skin samples maintained their viability during the 21‐day culture period. Already after 7 days, a significantly higher median percentage of wound closure was achieved in the fetal skin model vs. the adult and scar tissue model (74% vs. 28 and 29%, respectively, p<0.05). After 21 days of culture, only fetal wounds were completely reepithelialized. Fibroblasts migrated into the wounded dermis of all three wound models during culture, but more fibroblasts were present earlier in the wound area of the fetal skin model. The fast reepithelialization and prompt presence of many fibroblasts in the fetal model suggest that rapid healing might play a role in scarless healing.     

Expression of apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins in epidermis of venous leg and diabetic foot ulcers

BACKGROUND: Epithelialization of cutaneous ulcers is a long-lasting process. To study the pathomechanism of impaired epithelialization, we evaluated the role of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins in the regenerating epidermis. We characterized immunohistochemically the expression of cell cycle regulators p63, CD29, PCNA, p53, pro- and antiapoptotic proteins bcl2, bax, caspase 3 and DNA breaks, as well as keratin 10, 16 and 17. METHODS: Studies were carried out in 12 patients with diabetic foot, and 10 patients with varicose ulcers of the calf. Skin biopsy specimens were obtained from the border area of ulcers and the topographically corresponding sites of normal skin of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Biopsy specimens were stained by use of specific primary antibodies, a kit based on biotin-avidin-peroxidase complex technique, and DAB substrate. Results were expressed as a mean staining intensity. RESULTS: At the edge of both types of ulcers, keratinocytes were p63+, CD29+, PCNA+ and p53-. The mean intensity of p63 and CD29 staining was slightly higher than in controls. The intensity of bcl2 staining was higher at the edge of diabetic ulcers compared with venous ulcers, whereas the intensity of bax staining was similar. The expression of caspase 3 was lower at the edge of venous ulcers and higher in diabetic ulcers and the intensity of TUNEL staining was lower at the edge of both types of ulcers compared with controls. Keratinocytes at the edge and distally to both types of ulcers expressed cytokeratin 16 and 17. There was no expression of cytokeratin 10 at the edge of ulcers. Together, there was a slight tendency for higher expression of cell cycle-related proteins in venous and of apoptosis-related proteins in diabetic ulcers epidermis; however, the differences were minor. CONCLUSIONS: The impaired epithelialization of chronic leg ulcers is not caused by an inadequate epidermal stem cell proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. It may rather reflect the distorted organization of wound bed, caused by infection and impaired nutrition supply, altering keratinocyte migration. To accelerate healing of an ulcer, modeling of the granulation tissue by regulatory cytokines but not stimulation of keratinocyte growth seems to be indicated.     

Lysophosphatidic acid enhances healing of acute cutaneous wounds in the mouse.

Lysophosphatidic acid is a phospholipid growth factor and intercellular signaling molecule released by activated platelets and injured fibroblasts that affects keratinocytes, fibroblasts, neutrophils,and monocytes. We therefore hypothesized that lysophosphatidic acid could influence the inflammation and reepithelialization phases of wound healing. Lysophosphatidic acid (100 microM) was applied daily for 5 days to 2 mm-diameter excisional mouse ear skin wounds and re-epithelialization was measured. We also evaluated whether the bioactivity of lysophosphatidic acid could be increased by zinc (Zn2+, 1 mM). Inflammatory cells were counted in wound sections after 1, 3, or 5 days of healing. Reepithelialization was accelerated significantly by either lysophosphatidic acid or lysophosphatidic acid + Zn2+ (p < 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Both lysophosphatidic acid solutions significantly increased the amount of new epithelium in the wounds on days 1, 2, and 3 (p < 0.05). Little wound area remained on day 4, and all wounds were fully reepithelialized by day 5. Lysophosphatidic acid did not affect the number of neutrophils or macrophages present in the wound area. Our findings show that lysophosphatidic acid increased the amount of reepithelialization in the early stages of cutaneous wound healing in excisional ear wounds, without affecting inflammatory function.     

Cell suspension cultures of allogenic keratinocytes are efficient carriers for ex vivo gene transfer and accelerate the healing of full-thickness skin wounds by overexpression of human epidermal growth factor

The concept of using growth factor therapy to induce wound repair has been endorsed in studies that show reduced growth factors in wound fluid from chronic and aged wounds. In this study, we used cell suspensions of allogenic keratinocytes as gene-delivery vehicles for human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) and analyzed their impact on wound repair in a porcine wound-healing model. Full-thickness wounds were created on the backs of six Yorkshire pigs and covered with a wound chamber to create a wet wound-healing environment. First, 5 x 10(5) allogenic, autogenic, or mixed keratinocytes were transplanted into wounds and healing parameters were analyzed. Second, we measured long-term reepithelialization and contraction rates from day 8 until day 35. In the third experiment, allogenic keratinocytes were transfected with an hEGF-expressing plasmid pCEP-hEGF and transplanted in full-thickness wounds to improve repair. Wounds treated with autogenic, allogenic, or mixed keratinocytes showed a significantly higher rate of reepithelialization relative to saline-treated control wounds. Repetitive biopsies indicated that the use of allogenic keratinocytes did not lead to long-term wound breakdown. Wounds treated with hEGF-expressing allogenic keratinocytes reepithelialized faster than wounds treated with allogenic keratinocytes or control wounds. With a peak hEGF expression of 920.8 pg/mL, hEGF was detectable until day 5 after transplantation compared with minimal hEGF expression in control wounds. This study shows that allogenic keratinocytes can serve as efficient gene transfer vehicles for ex vivo growth factor delivery to full-thickness wounds and overexpression of hEGF further improves reepithelialization rates.     

Epidermal graft encourages wound healing by down‐regulation of gap junctional protein and activation of wound bed without graft integration as opposed to split‐thickness skin graft

Wound coverage by split‐thickness skin graft (SSG) and epidermal graft (EG) shortens healing time, with comparable outcomes. However, the healing mechanism of EG is not as well understood as SSG. The difference in the healing mechanisms of EG and SSG was investigated using gap junctional proteins, proliferative marker, and cytokeratin markers. Paired punch biopsies were taken from the wound edge and wound bed from patients undergoing EG and SSG at weeks 0 and 1 to investigate wound edge keratinocyte migratory activities (connexins 43, 30, and 26), wound bed activation (Ki67), and the presence of graft integration to the wound bed (cytokeratins 14 and 6). Twenty‐four paired biopsies were taken at weeks 0 and 1 (EG, n = 12; SSG, n = 12). Wound edge biopsies demonstrated down‐regulation of connexins 43 (P = .023) and 30 (P = .027) after EG, indicating accelerated healing from the wound edge. At week 1, increased expression of Ki67 (P < .05) was seen after EG, indicating activation of cells within the wound bed. Keratinocytes expressing cytokeratins 6 and 14 were observed on all wounds treated with SSG but were absent at week 1 after EG, indicating the absence of graft integration following EG. Despite EG and SSG both being autologous skin grafts, they demonstrate different mechanisms of wound healing. EG accelerates wound healing from the wound edges and activates the wound bed despite not integrating into the wound bed at week 1 post‐grafting as opposed to SSG, hence demonstrating properties comparable with a bioactive dressing instead of a skin substitute.     

Fetal wound healing: an in vitro explant model

The ability of fetal skin wounds to heal without scar formation is remarkable. The mechanisms that endow the fetus with this unique healing ability remain unknown. We have developed an in vitro explant model using fetal sheep skin to investigate fetal wound healing. This model eliminates the complex systemic mechanisms that modulate in vivo wound healing. We demonstrated that using an enriched medium, midgestation fetal sheep skin explants following wounding reepithelialized within 4 days. By 7 days after wounding the confluent epidermis was thicker, but the dermal wound remained open. This model demonstrates that it is possible to achieve conditions in culture that maintain tissue viability and support reepithelialization. This model may allow us to resolve some of the individual components that participate in the process of scarless fetal skin healing.     

烫伤大鼠不同深度创面组织中表皮干细胞分布的初步研究

目的初步观察烫伤大鼠不同深度创面组织中表皮干细胞的分布情况。方法将32只SD大鼠分别造成Ⅰ、浅Ⅱ、深Ⅱ和Ⅲ度烫伤，伤后24h取创面组织标本，制作切片。采用细菌蛋白一生物素标记法(LSAB)进行免疫组织化学染色，以α2、β1整合素及角蛋白10(K10)作为一抗，观察不同创面组织中表皮干细胞的表达和分布情况。结果Ⅰ度烧伤创面组织中，K10阳性细胞分布于表皮的棘细胞层、颗粒层、透明层，α2、β1整合素阳性细胞分布于表皮基底层，数量多。浅Ⅱ度创面中，α2、β1整合素阳性细胞位于残留的基底层和皮肤附属器(主要是毛囊)中，数量较少。深Ⅱ度创面中，α2、β1整合素阳性细胞仅存在于真皮深层健存的皮肤附属器中，数量很少。Ⅲ度创面中，罕见α2、β1整合素阳性细胞。结论表皮干细胞在烧伤创面中的分布与烧伤深度有关，残存的表皮干细胞可能是创伤修复过程中再上皮化的细胞来源。     

深Ⅱ度烫伤大鼠创缘皮肤组织中表皮细胞增殖的研究

目的观察大鼠深Ⅱ度烫伤后创缘皮肤组织中表皮细胞的增殖活动规律,探讨其可能机制. 方法将24只SD大鼠随机分为正常组(未烫伤)、烫伤后3 d组、7 d组及14 d组,每组6只.采集正常组大鼠皮肤及烫伤大鼠创缘皮肤,观察其表皮组织学特征;用流式细胞仪检测表皮细胞的细胞周期;蛋白印迹法检测表皮细胞增殖调节因子细胞周期素(cyclinD1、cyclinB1)和细胞周期素依赖性激酶(CDK)4的表达水平,并测定M期促进因子(MPF)的组蛋白激酶活性. 结果组织学观察显示,伤后3 d组大鼠创缘表皮细胞核及核仁较正常组增大;伤后14 d组胞核及核仁增大明显,细胞数显著增多.伤后14 d组S期表皮细胞百分比出现上升趋势;G2/M期百分比自伤后3 d起逐渐升高,伤后7、14 d组(4.5±0.6、5.4±1.0)显著高于正常组(2.9±1.1,P<0.05).cyclinD1表达量伤后3 d即明显增高;cyclinB1表达无显著波动.伤后3 d组的CDK4表达水平较低,14 d组开始回升.伤后14 d组表皮细胞MPF活性显著增强. 结论在细胞周期调控因子作用下,大鼠深Ⅱ度烫伤后皮肤组织中表皮细胞在伤后早期即出现DNA合成及有丝分裂的增加,伤后14 d增殖明显活跃.cyclinD1/CDK4复合物的表达及MPF的活性在伤后早期并未同步增高,但自伤后14 d起其表达显著增多,提示创面愈合过程中细胞周期调控因子的调控规律具有特殊性.     

Combination of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 and collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffold delays contraction and accelerates reepithelialization of dermal wounds in wild‐type mice

While dermal substitutes can mitigate scarring and wound contraction, a significant drawback of current dermal replacement technologies is the apparent delay in vascular ingrowth compared with conventional skin grafts. Herein, we examined the effect of the chemokine stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) on the performance of a porous collagen–glycosaminoglycan dermal analog in excisional wounds in mice. C57BL/6 mice with 1 cm × 1 cm dorsal full‐thickness wounds were covered with a collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffold, followed by four daily topical applications of 1 μg SDF‐1 or phosphate‐buffered saline vehicle. Some animals were also pretreated with five daily doses of 300 mg/kg granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor. Animals treated with SDF‐1 and no granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor reepithelialized 36% faster than vehicle controls (16 vs. 25 days), and exhibited less wound contraction on postwounding day 18 (～35% greater wound area) plus three‐fold longer neoepidermis formed than controls. Conversely, granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor promoted contraction and no epidermal regeneration. Early (postwounding Day 3) inflammatory cell infiltration in the SDF‐1‐treated group was 86% less, while the fraction of proliferating cells (positive Ki67 staining) was 32% more, when compared with controls. These results suggest that SDF‐1 simultaneously delays contraction and promotes reepithelialization and may improve the wound‐healing performance of skin substitutes.     

Development of an in vitro burn wound model

Healing of a deeper burn wound is a complex process that often leads to scar formation. Skin wound model systems are important for the development of treatments preventing scarring. The aim of this study is to develop a standardized in vitro burn wound model that resembles the in vivo situation. A burn wound (10 × 2 mm) was made in ex vivo skin and the skin samples were cultured at the air–liquid interface for 7, 14, and 21 days. Cells in the skin biopsies maintained their viability during the 21-day culture period. During culture, reepithelialization of the wound took place from the surrounding tissue and fibroblasts migrated into the wound area. Cells of the epithelial tongue and fibroblasts near the wound margin were proliferating. During culture, skin-derived antileukoproteinase and keratin 17 were expressed only in the epithelial tongue. Both collagen type IV and laminin were present underneath the newly formed epidermis, indicating that the basement membrane was restored. These results show that the burn wound model has many similarities to in vivo wound healing. This burn wound model may be useful to study different aspects of wound healing and testing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics on, e.g., migration and reepithelialization.     

A clot-inducing wound covering with high vapor permeability: enhancing effects on epidermal wound healing in partial-thickness wounds in guinea pigs

Although the use of an occlusive wound covering accelerates the reepithelialization of a partial-thickness wound, it has the disadvantage of leading to wound exudate accumulation. The effect of an experimental polyetherurethane (PEU) wound covering with a high vapor permeability was compared with an occlusive wound covering (OpSite covering) and air exposure with respect to the rate of reepithelialization, eventual epidermal thickness, and scab thickness in 122 partial-thickness wounds in guinea pigs. The percentage of reepithelialization on day 2 was 85% in wounds covered with the permeable PEU membrane, whereas it was 66% and 35%, respectively, in wounds covered with the occlusive covering or exposed to air. The epidermal thickness did not differ among the three types of treatment. The scab thickness, however, was maximal in the uncovered air-exposed wounds. We conclude that epidermal wound healing is accelerated when the PEU wound covering is used. This wound-healing-promotion effect is apparently due to the high water vapor permeability of PEU, which induces clotting of the wound exudate, and subsequent jellifying of the clot layer.     

Localization of platelet-derived growth factor receptor subunit expression in chronic venous leg ulcers

Cellular responses to platelet-derived growth factor, which affects all phases of the wound healing process, are dependent on the interaction of the growth factor with its cell surface receptors. Recently, we have shown that the platelet-derived growth factor-receptor was not expressed in uninjured human skin. In acute human wounds healing by secondary intention, both platelet-derived growth factor-receptor subunits were coordinately expressed, whereas no expression was found after reepithelialization at day 47. Even though impaired wound healing may be due to uncoordinated expression or the failure to express platelet-derived growth factor-receptor subunits, little is known regarding their expression in chronic ulcers. We studied the localization of platelet-derived growth factor-receptor expression in chronic venous leg ulcers of 15 patients with a median age of 73 years. Cryostat sections of biopsy specimens were immunostained with the use of antibodies against the alpha- and the beta-platelet-derived growth factor subunits. RNA was extracted from biopsy specimens and subjected to Northern blot analysis with the use of oligolabeled complementary DNA for the platelet-derived growth factor-receptor. Platelet-derived growth factor-receptor alpha- and beta-subunit expression was found in fibroblast-like cells within the wound bed and in cells beneath the epidermis of the wound edge. Platelet-derived growth factor-receptor beta-subunit expression was detected in endothelial cells of the vessels, in the granulation tissue, and the wound edge, whereas platelet-derived growth factor-receptor alpha-subunit was not expressed in endothelial cells of the uninjured skin. This finding suggests that the platelet-derived growth factor alpha-subunit may be involved in vessel formation during tissue repair. Both platelet-derived growth factor-receptor subunits were expressed at the messenger RNA level indicating that the synthesis is at least partly regulated at a pretranslational level. As the cellular responsiveness to growth factors depends on their specific receptors, our finding that both platelet-derived growth factor-receptor subunits are expressed in chronic venous ulcers substantiates the concept of therapeutic trials with recombinant platelet-derived growth factor.