A tension offloading patch mitigates dermal fibrosis induced by pro-fibrotic skin injections.

ABSTRACT: Skin fibrosis is a clinical problem with devastating impacts but limited treatment options. In the setting of diabetes, insulin administration often causes local dermal fibrosis, leading to a range of clinical sequelae including impeded insulin absorption. Mechanical forces are important drivers of fibrosis and, clinically, physical tension offloading at the skin level using an elastomeric patch significantly reduces wound scarring. However, it is not known whether tension offloading could similarly prevent skin fibrosis in the setting of pro-fibrotic injections. Here, we develop a porcine model using repeated local injections of bleomycin to recapitulate key features of insulin-induced skin fibrosis. Using histologic, tissue ultrastructural, and biomechanical analyses, we show that applic

SUBMITTER: Talbott HE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10925431 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature