Treatment of Burn and Surgical Wounds With Recombinant Human Tropoelastin Produces New Elastin Fibers in Scars

Abstract

Tropoelastin (TE), the soluble precursor of insoluble elastin fibers, is produced in minimal amounts in adults. Burn injuries result in inflexible collagen-rich scars because of lack of elastin fiber formation. We studied the feasibility of using recombinant human tropoelastin to enable elastin fiber production in burn and surgical scars to improve skin flexibility. In a swine hypertrophic burn scar model, normal skin and 3 × 3-cm partial thickness thermal burns underwent dermatome resection at 1 week post burn and randomized to four subcutaneous injections of saline or TE (either 0.5, 5, or 10 mg/ml) spaced 3 days apart. Two burn sites received TE injections after wound closure (0.5 or 10 mg/ml). At 90 days, skin hardness, flexibility, and histology were evaluated. All injury sites developed hypertrophic scars. New elastin fibers were found in burn scars in all injuries injected after skin closure with low (5/5) and high (6/6) TE doses (P < .05). No elastin fibers were observed without TE treatment. No significant differences in skin hardness, flexibility, or inflammation were observed. This is the first report demonstrating that subcutaneous injections of TE into surgical and burn injuries can safely produce new elastin fibers in scars. Despite the development of new elastin fibers, skin flexibility was not improved, possibly because of insufficient elastin fiber maturation or the hypertrophic model used. The ability to restore elastin fiber formation in adult skin after burns, trauma, and surgery may improve skin regeneration and reduce disabling complications of scar formation.

New Nanotechnologies for the Treatment and Repair of Skin Burns Infections

“…As a soluble precursor of elastin, tropoelastin was used to enable elastin fiber production in burn and surgical scars. The treatment evidenced the production of new elastin fibers in site, although no improvement in skin flexibility was observed [98].…”

“…Elastin is a biocompatible natural human skin component with structural functions [97]. Based on hypertrophic scarring related to the augmented expression of collagen and low elastin fiber production, tropoelastin delivery aims to the improvement of skin flexibility in burn wound healing [98].…”

“…Xie et al studied the impact subcutaneous injections of recombinant human tropoelastin in skin flexibility in partial thickness thermal wounds [98]. As a soluble precursor of elastin, tropoelastin was used to enable elastin fiber production in burn and surgical scars.…”

Elastic fibers in orthopedics: Form and function in tendons and ligaments, clinical implications, and future directions

“…These synergistic effects are hypothesized to explain the reversal of age-related arterial changes reported in murine models 110. In addition, direct injection of recombinant tropoelastin has been described in a burn injury model, where it led to the formation of new elastic fibers 111. F I G U R E 3Histological sections of the long head of the biceps tendon biopsies stained with Verhoeff-Van Gieson stain reveal sparse and aligned elastic fibers in samples from healthy patients (A and B) while samples from tendinopathic patients contain regions of dense and disorganized elastic fibers (C) and regions without any elastic fibers (D).…”

Estudo comparativo de membrana serosa porcina e de elastina no reparo de defeitos na calvária de ratos

“…Os biomateriais a derivados da elastina são produzidos em forma de gel, partículas, fibras, tubos, folhas e filmes, podendo ser utilizados para revestimento e regeneração de enxertos de nervos periféricos ou como enxertos de pele, osso e cartilagem (HSUEH et al, 2014;XIE et al, 2017;ZHU et al, 2017). No entanto, a literatura descreve amplamente o uso isolado da BMP e hidroxiapatita, mas pouco sobre a associação com membranas de elastina e serosa de intestino porcino para regeneração óssea (DAAMEN et al, 2007;SOPYAN et al, 2007;HORN;MARTINS;PLEPIS, 2009;PRAKASAM et al, 2017;WALSH et al, 2017).…”