Short Communication:Antifibrogenic Effects of Liposome-Encapsulated IFN-α2b Cream on Skin Wounds in a Fibrotic Rabbit Ear Model

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the ability of a dermal cream containing liposome-encapsulated interferon- alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) (LIPO+IFN) to improve hypertrophic scarring in open and reepithelialized dermal wounds in a rabbit fibrotic ear model. Full-thickness skin wounds were made in New Zealand white rabbits, and were either left untreated, treated on day 16 postsurgery (open wound), or treated on day 23 postsurgery (reepithelialized wound) with either LIPO+IFN or liposome alone (LIPO). The conditions of the wounds were monitored until day 35 postsurgery, when hypertrophic scar formation reached its peak. Dry wound weight, scar thickness, hypertrophic index (HI), and tissue cellularity of treated and untreated wounded tissue samples were evaluated as an index for scar formation. The results of this study showed that reepithelialized wounds treated with LIPO+IFN and to a lesser extent with LIPO alone were reduced in thickness, HI, and cellularity compared with untreated control wounds or LIPO+IFN-treated open wounds. Dry wound weight was also reduced but not significantly. The findings of this study suggest that LIPO+IFN is more effective than using LIPO alone in reducing the scar formation in a rabbit fibrotic ear model. Further investigation is required to confirm these results.

Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A on Collagen Deposition in Hypertrophic Scars

“…The animals were handled according to procedures approved by the Harbin Medical University Animal Care and Use Committee. After the animals were anaesthetized with ketamine (60 mg/kg) and xylazine (5 mg/kg), the authors followed the protocol for initiating the hypertrophic scars as previously described [16]. Briefly, three wounds were created down to bare cartilage on the ventral surface of each ear by means of a 8-mm punch biopsy at standardized locations.…”

The Role of Chemokines in Fibrotic Wound Healing

“…74,75 We also found that the increased SDF-1 expression in postburn HTS tissue was downregulated by subcutaneous IFN-a2b, and resulted in a significant improvement in scarring in seven of nine patients. [76][77][78] Burn injury increased CD14 + CXCR4 + cells, particularly CD14 + hiCXCR4 + cells in peripheral blood, which were downregulated by IFN-a2b in a time-dependent manner (Fig. 5).…”

14-3-3σ associates with cell surface aminopeptidase N in the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-1

“…Female New Zealand white rabbits weighing approximately 4-5 kg were used in the rabbit ear fibrotic wound model. After the rabbits were anaesthetized, 8-mm diameter full-thickness wounds down to the perichondrial membrane were created, as described previously (Lee et al, 2005;Morris et al, 1997). On day 16 post wounding, when reepithelialization was complete, the rabbits were euthanized and the wounds harvested and fixed in 2% PFA before embedding in paraffin.…”