Nanoparticle therapy promotes wound healing

In studies done on mice, the scientists focused on the effect an enzyme called fidgetin-like 2 (FL2) had on skin cells as they migrate toward wounds to heal them.

After they developed a drug that inactivates the gene that makes FL2, they put the drug into nanoparticles and applied these nanoparticles to the wounds. The wounds that were treated with these nanoparticles healed much faster than untreated wounds.

"We envision our nanoparticle therapy could be used to speed the healing of all sorts of wounds, including everyday cuts and burns, surgical incisions, and chronic skin ulcers, which are a particular problem in the elderly and people with diabetes," said study co-leader David J. Sharp, PhD, in a press release.

Results of their research were published online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.