Potential implications of interleukin-7 in chronic wound healing

Abstract

Methods of identifying chronic wounds that will heal in a timely, coordinated fashion and those that will not, together with novel therapeutic strategies, are vital for progression in the field of wound healing. Interleukin (IL)-7 has been associated with various biological and pathological processes. The present study explored the potential role of IL-7 in wound healing. IL-7 expression levels were examined in a clinical cohort of chronic wounds using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining analysis. The impact of recombinant human IL-7 (rhIL-7) on the growth and migrational rates of HaCaT keratinocyte cells was subsequently examined using in vitro growth and electric cell-substrate impedance sensing functional assays. The mRNA expression levels of IL-7 were increased in the healed chronic wound tissue samples, compared with non-healed chronic wound tissue samples, although the difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a greater staining intensity of IL-7 in the healed chronic wound tissue sections compared with the non-healed tissue sections. Treatment with rhIL-7 did not affect HaCaT cell growth rates, but was shown to enhance cell migration, an effect that could be further enhanced through the addition of inhibitors of neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein and protein kinase B. The data of the present study suggest that the expression levels of IL-7 may be increased in healing chronic wounds, and thus IL-7 may have a role in this process, potentially through its effects on the cellular migration of keratinocytes.

IL‐7 overexpression enhances therapeutic potential of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for diabetic wounds

“…The rationale for selecting IL‐7, a lymphopoietic cytokine produced in thymus and BM, is based on its potential role in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation processes . It also plays important role in chronic wound healing where it is produced by skin keratinocytes . In our study, we have also observed the presence of IL‐7 protein in rat skin keratinocytes.…”

“…The present study was conducted to assess the effect of IL‐7 transfected rat bone marrow (BM) MSCs on diabetic wound healing both in vitro and in diabetic wound model in vivo. Based on its role in proliferation, cell survival, and cellular differentiation processes, as well as in wound healing, it is expected that these genetically modified MSCs would improve wound healing potential of MSCs.…”

Biomaterial encapsulation of human mesenchymal stromal cells modulates paracrine signaling response and enhances efficacy for treatment of established osteoarthritis

“…[75][76][77] Furthermore, the pro-inflammatory cytokines that showed increased expression in the current study (IL-6, IL-7, IL-8) have been implicated as significant mediators in wound healing and similar diseases that involve resolution of inflammatory events. [78][79][80] Additionally, when looking at the duration of hMSC viability from our previous study, we observed that the hMSCs are only viable for the first ~9 days post-injection, thus the hMSCs likely respond to the local environment to help induce a local endogenous response which could have longer lasting therapeutic effects, particularly if it promoted the resolution of chronic inflammation. 18 While encapsulated hMSCs elicited a pro-inflammatory response in the current study, they also secreted anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines which may have therapeutic potential.…”

User-friendly Interface for Electrical Cell-substrate Impedance Spectroscopy System

“…(11,12) Using the impedance sensor, we can observe the cytotoxicity of a variety of toxicants and the status of stem and cancer cells. (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) When cells are added to the electrical cell-substrate impedance sensor array and attached to the electrodes, they act as insulators that increase the impedance. As the cells grow and cover the electrodes, the number, shape, and attachment properties of these cells affect the current flow and change the impedance.…”