Posted on 02/10/2025 7:49:43 AM PST by Red Badger
ABT-263, a senolytic drug, accelerates wound healing in aging skin by clearing senescent cells, triggering beneficial inflammation, and enhancing gene activity, offering a promising new treatment for slow-healing wounds.
Topical ABT-263 effectively reduced several senescence markers in aged skin, preparing it for improved wound healing.
Researchers from Boston University’s School of Medicine have identified a promising treatment that could improve wound healing in aging skin. Their study, published in the journal Aging, reveals that the drug ABT-263 can significantly accelerate skin repair by eliminating old, damaged cells known as senescent cells.
As people grow older, their bodies accumulate senescent cells—cells that have stopped functioning properly but remain in tissues, interfering with normal healing processes. This buildup is particularly problematic in the skin, where it contributes to slower recovery from injuries. The research team, which includes Maria Shvedova, Rex Jeya Rajkumar Samdavid Thanapaul, Joy Ha, Jannat Dhillon, Grace H. Shin, Jack Crouch, Adam C. Gower, Sami Gritli, and Daniel S. Roh, investigated whether ABT-263, a senolytic drug designed to selectively remove these dysfunctional cells, could enhance skin regeneration.
Their findings show that when ABT-263 is applied topically to the skin of older mice, it effectively clears senescent cells and significantly speeds up wound healing. This discovery could pave the way for new treatments targeting slow-healing wounds in older adults, particularly in post-surgical recovery and chronic wound care.
ABT-263 skin pre-treatment accelerates wound closure in aged mice. (A) Schematic of the experiment. (B) Representative wound photos after 5 days of ABT-263 vs DMSO treatment. ABT-263 (N=5-8 per timepoint) vs DMSO (N=5-8 per timepoint). (C) % wound contraction. (D) % of aged mice with completely healed wounds. t-test, *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001. Credit: 2024 Shvedova et al.
Researchers applied ABT-263 to the skin of aged mice for five days. The treated skin showed fewer signs of cellular aging, and when small wounds were created, they healed much faster compared to untreated mice. By day 24, 80% of the mice treated with ABT-263 had fully healed wounds, compared to just 56% of untreated mice.
A Surprising Role for Inflammation in Healing
Interestingly, ABT-263 triggered a brief spike of inflammation in the skin, which surprisingly helped the healing process. The inflammation seemed to “wake up” the skin’s repair systems, making them respond more quickly to wounds. Additionally, ABT-263 increased the activity of genes related to wound repair, such as those involved in collagen production and the growth of new blood vessels, both essential for skin strength and regeneration.
The study also found that ABT-263 selectively reduced senescent cells in aged mice without affecting young mice, suggesting the drug is particularly effective in older tissues where these damaged cells accumulate. Moreover, because ABT-263 was applied directly to the skin, it avoided the common side effects associated with oral senolytic drugs.
According to the researchers, “Our study underscores the potential of topical senolytic treatments to enhance wound healing in aging skin, presenting a potentially promising strategy for preoperative care.”
While the results are promising, more research is needed to confirm whether this treatment is safe and effective for humans. However, this study represents an exciting step forward in regenerative medicine, opening new opportunities to improve wound healing in aging skin.
Reference:
“Topical ABT-263 treatment reduces aged skin senescence and improves subsequent wound healing”
by Maria Shvedova, Rex Jeya Rajkumar Samdavid Thanapaul, Joy Ha, Jannat Dhillon, Grace H. Shin, Jack Crouch, Adam C. Gower, Sami Gritli and Daniel S. Roh, 3 December 2024, Aging.
DOI: 10.18632/aging.206165
This stuff works great, I feel great. Got any cheese 🧀?
They should have included HONEY as a control...............
“More research is needed...” In my doctoral program, it was required to include this phrase in any research paper or project. The main reason, as our department chair pointed out, was “to help keep the grant money coming in.”
I think I just saw cosmetics executives doing the conga down Fifth Av.
Oil of OldLadies leading the pack!...............
I wonder how it would work on my pressure wounds.
who needs drugs, with possible other unwanted side effects not known until a later time?
Glutathione and Carnosine work wonders form skin and wound healing, anti-aging and they are natural.
isn't DMSO a horse liniment
Thank you!
I will show this to my doctor on Friday.
What we put the little miceys through!
“More research is needed...”
I led research programs at an energy research institute. It was always a great source of levity to read the conclusions to every report and ALWAYS find that phrase inserted. Of course, it didn’t fool anybody, appeared grotesquely self-serving, and did not affect any research investment decisions or priorities.
In a 1000 years, we will have the healthiest mice in the Universe...........
Ha ha!
I apply a small piece of paper towel soaked in raw milk underneath a bandaid on a an open wound. Closes it in a couple days, clears up infections. Worked better than otc ointments and took away pain,no scabs, no scarring
DMSO is a very powerful and cheap medicine. It’s very good at managing pain and healing. Some say it can heal almost anything.
Thanks
BKMK
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