Accelerated wound healing may be possible for skin with p53 activation, flag researchers
16 Feb 2022 --- Protein p53 can accelerate tissue repair due to its impact on epithelial migration and repair processes, research from the University of Bristol has revealed. The study findings pave the way for understanding how cells repair tissues and develop systems that accelerate wound healing.
The researchers add that the knowledge can be used to create new approaches that could help block the unwanted migration of metastatic cells.
“Should our finding be confirmed, we might be able to devise ways of selectively and safely activating p53 in cells at the wound margin,” Dr. Giulia Pilia, study author and research associate at the University of Bristol, tells PersonalCareInsights.
“In our model, this accelerates collective migration and the closure of breaches in the epithelium. If the mechanisms work in the same way in the skin, a directed activation of p53 should accelerate wound healing. However, it is still early to say if this would be the case in the skin.”
Epithelial migration and wound healing
Epithelial tissues are the linings that protect the body’s external skin and internal cavities, and their ability to repair themself is important, Pilia explains.
Wounded epithelial repair themselves due to the ability of the remaining cells to start migrating, collectively, to seal the breach.
The study found that following injury, cells at the border of the epithelial gap were found to elevate p53 and p21, suggesting that the damage triggers the migratory program.
Specialized migratory cells called leader cells arise from damaged epithelia, promoting epithelial migration.
“The study found p53 activation stimulates leader cell behavior in epithelial cells in culture. Once the breach was repaired, leader cells were eliminated from the population by their healthy epithelial neighbors,” says Pilia.
“Thus, cells damaged by the wound can cause wound closure but are then sacrificed to maintain a functional tissue with normal epithelial morphology. It is worth noting, however, that it stays to be confirmed if the same mechanism is activated in the skin.”
Applying to human beings
Pilia continues to explain that the results cannot be applied to human beings yet as they “are coming from a very simplified model of a wound, essentially a scratch on a single layer of cells in culture.”
Before applying them to (human) health, it will be essential to validate that proteins p53 and p21 are elevated in mechanically damaged cells in vivo and can induce leader cell behavior in those settings, she continues.
The findings can identify interventions that could accelerate and improve wound repair.
“Further studies are required to make sure that the activation of p53 is involved in epithelial migration in vivo. Should this be the case, it would be interesting to study if it is possible to induce p53 at the border of real-life wounds safely and if this does indeed help wound healing.”
“P53 plays two critical roles in epithelial repair. It starts leader-driven epithelial closure and once the epithelium has been repaired, p53 induces leader cell clearance,” says Eugenia Piddini, lead author and research fellow at the University of Bristol.
Collagen and phenolics for tissue repair
Also tapping into tissue repair, wellness company Renovatio Bioscience unveiled its Apskin brand that features a skincare range made with antioxidants from apples. As the products contain phenolics, they are positioned as effective for wound healing and tissue repair.
Meanwhile, collagen was spotlighted for its role in connective tissue maintenance. Collagen types I, II and V were beneficial to increase bone, cartilage and tissue repair. Also, Gelita’s Immupept was shown to hold an immune response in reducing inflammation and tissue damage.
By Nicole Kerr
