Abstract
To improve the performance of bioengineered skin, we used a recombinant retrovirus encoding FGF-7 to modify diploid human keratinocytes genetically. Control or FGF-7-expressing keratinocytes were seeded onto acellular human dermis to form bioengineered skin. Gene-modified skin secreted significant levels of FGF-7 and formed a thicker and hyperproliferative epidermis with about four times the number of cells per square centimeter. Secretion of an endogenous trophic factor, VEGF, was increased ∼5-fold. Migration of FGF-7-expressing keratinocytes was stimulated as was the self-healing of bioengineered skin expressing FGF-7. When tested in a bacterial infection model, the antimicrobial properties of FGF-7-expressing skin were increased >500-fold against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. After transplantation to full-thickness wounds on athymic mice, skin expressing FGF-7 was revascularized more rapidly. These results demonstrate that genetic modification can be used to enhance performance and that expression of FGF-7 augments several properties important to the wound-healing properties of bioengineered skin.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 76-85 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Molecular Therapy |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2004 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Fibroblast growth factor
- Infection
- Skin
- Tissue engineering
- Vascularization
- Wound healing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
- Drug Discovery