Human skin is known to have the ability to self-repair. Even after severe damage, it eventually restores its integrity. However, the healing process can be quite long and accompanied by complications, such as the formation of a purulent focus. And after healing, scars are sure to remain. The reason for the appearance of scars is that the damaged edges of the skin cannot grow together; for this, they need intermediate tissue (connective), rich in collagen. However, according to a recent study, scientists have found a way to heal wounds without scarring. For this, they decided to use helminth worms that live in the intestines.
Scientists have found a way to quickly heal wounds without scarring. Photo source: topichilov.com
How worms help wounds heal
Intestinal worms feed on the tissues of the host organism, including blood. This means that they damage tissue. But at the same time, parasites are not interested in causing too much damage to the organism in which they live, since their own “well-being” depends entirely on it.
According to a recent study by scientists, it appears that helminths have evolved to produce a protein that speeds up wound healing, improves skin regeneration, and stops the formation of scar tissue. At least, this is true for the parasitic roundworms Heligmosomoides polygyrus, which live in the intestines of mice and some other rodents. Most likely, in this way, they minimize the damage they cause to the health of their host.
Heligmosomoides polygyrus worms can heal wounds without scarring. Photo source: thenakedscientists.com
Worms-Based Skin Healing Patch
As we have already reported, scientists have been working for a long time to find a technology that would allow wounds to heal without scarring. That is, so that it would promote skin regeneration, rather than the formation of new, fibrous tissue. However, until recently, no significant results have been achieved.
As you may have guessed, to solve this problem, a team of researchers decided to use a protein that rodent worms generate to heal wounds. According to the leader of the research team, William Gauss, director of the Center for Immunity and Inflammation at Rutgers University in the US, the protein has a unique ability – it stimulates regenerative healing of wounds, rather than connective tissue and scar formation.
The protein in question is TGM, which works by binding to a signaling protein, the TGF-b receptor, found on the surface of many types of cells in both rodents and humans. This signaling protein is also found on immune cells, which has been shown to play a key role in scar formation.
Scars appear on the skin as a result of the formation of connective tissue. Photo source: beautysystems.ru
How immune cells affect wound healing
We have previously reported that, in theory, human skin can heal without connective tissue. For example, the human fetus has this ability up to a certain point, but then loses it. As the researchers explain, the balance between successful tissue regeneration and scarring that occurs at the site of the wound depends on the types of immune cells involved in this process.
During the study, scientists found that treating wounds with THM primarily stimulates the recruitment of immune cells known as macrophages to the wound. These cells also have the ability to “eat” bacteria and provoke an inflammatory process. However, they perform a different function in the wound, since the THM protein reprograms them to stimulate tissue regeneration.
As the authors of the study, published in the journal Life Science Alliance, report, new hair follicles formed at the site of damaged skin in mice whose wounds were treated with THM daily. This means that the skin was actually regenerated, and not fused together by means of connective tissue. Accordingly, in the control group of mice whose wounds were not treated with the worm protein, no follicles appeared at the site of the scar, since they simply cannot exist in connective tissue.
Scientists conducted a study on mice, but the results may be relevant for humans as well. Photo source: life4me.plus
Since the study was conducted only on mice, it is too early to talk about complete success. However, it is known that the body of humans and mice uses the same mechanisms to heal the skin. Therefore, it is highly likely that the TGM protein will have the same effect on damaged human skin as it does on mouse skin. In the end, scientists may use the protein of helminths that live in the human intestine to heal wounds, if it is different in some way.
Be sure to visit our Zen and Telegram channels, here you will find the most interesting news from the world of science and the latest discoveries!
If these studies are completed, in the future an ointment for local use or, for example, a patch may be created that will allow wounds to heal without scars. At first glance it sounds like science fiction, but as you can see, in theory it is quite possible.