The process of wound healing is a fascinating aspect of the human body’s ability to regenerate and repair itself. A recent preclinical study conducted by Cedars-Sinai, Stanford Medicine, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has shed light on the mystery of rapid healing in the mouth compared to other parts of the body.
The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, aimed to uncover why wounds in the mouth heal more efficiently and without scarring compared to skin wounds. The researchers discovered a signaling pathway involving a protein called GAS6 and an enzyme called AXL in the oral mucosa, which plays a crucial role in promoting scarless healing.
By inhibiting the AXL enzyme in laboratory mice, the researchers observed that oral mucosa wounds behaved more like skin wounds, taking longer to heal and potentially leaving scars. Conversely, when AXL was stimulated in skin wounds, they healed more like oral mucosa wounds, regenerating tissue more effectively.
Dr. Ophir Klein, one of the study’s co-corresponding authors, emphasized the importance of understanding this mechanism for developing therapies that could improve skin wound healing and reduce scarring. The findings suggest that manipulating the GAS6-AXL pathway could be a promising approach to promoting scarless healing in skin wounds.
Moving forward, the researchers plan to further investigate how these preclinical findings translate to humans and explore the development of therapies to enhance the healing of skin wounds. Dr. Michael Longaker, another co-corresponding author of the study, highlighted the need for clinical studies to assess the relationship between AXL and scarring in humans.
This groundbreaking research opens up new possibilities for advancing wound healing treatments and addressing the challenges of scarring in skin wounds. By unraveling the secrets of rapid mouth healing, the study paves the way for innovative therapies that could revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine.
For more information on this study, you can refer to the publication in Science Translational Medicine. Stay tuned for further developments in this exciting area of research that holds promise for improving wound healing outcomes in the future.
