Researchers have combined bioactive peptides to successfully stimulate wound healing. The in vitro and in vivo study, published February 24 in PLoS ONE, demonstrates that the combination of 2 peptides stimulates the growth of blood vessels and promotes regrowth of tissue. Further development of these peptides could lead to a new treatment for chronic and acute wounds. The team tested a newly created peptide, UN3, in preclinical models aimed to simulate impaired wound healing as seen in patients with peripheral vascular diseases or uncontrolled diabetes. The peptide led to a 50% increase in blood vessel wall development, a 250% increase in growth of blood vessels, and a 300% increase in cell migration in response to the injury.
"Using double-blinded in vivo experiments, we then applied the wound-healing peptide UN3 with a peptide created during a previous study, named comb1. We found that, together, the 2 outperformed all control groups, including the only FDA-approved growth factor-containing drug for treating diabetic wounds, becaplermin," said first author, Tatiana Demidova-Rice, PhD. UN3 was created and modified from 2 naturally occurring peptides that are normally present in trace amounts and found in human platelet-rich plasma. "The confirmation that these peptides could act synergistically to improve human wound healing moves our research one significant step closer to clinical application….Clinical trials using the peptides will be the next step," said Ira Herman, PhD, professor of molecular physiology and pharmacology at Tufts University School of Medicine.

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(Source: ScienceDaily, February 24, 2012)F

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