And the results obtained, which have already been published in the scientific journal Diabetologia, showed that yes, opening “new possibilities for the development of innovative therapies that act directly on miR-146a-5p and miR-29a-3p, with the potential to modulate key processes involved in wound healing, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, the formation of new blood vessels and remodeling of the extracellular matrix”.
The researchers also explain that to achieve these results, the effect of inhibiting microRNAs was tested using molecules designed for this purpose in human cells and in mice with type 1 diabetes. Then, the consequences in terms of inflammation, formation of new blood vessels and tissue remodeling were analyzed. But, in tests with mice, the researchers found that “the therapeutic approach reduced the size of the wounds significantly in ten days, with changes that led to more resistant and structurally more organized skin”.
According to the Coimbra researchers, “by identifying the two microRNAs as promising therapeutic targets, this work creates the basis for future personalized and more effective approaches in the treatment of chronic wounds, especially in people with diabetes”, further highlighting “these future molecular therapy targets may have the potential to significantly improve wounds and patient recovery, potentially reducing the length of hospital stay, decreasing the risk of amputations and thus alleviate the associated economic and social burden”.
This method, they consider, can also “potentiate similar strategies applied to other pathologies marked by poor healing or chronic inflammation”.
In the note released by the University of Coimbra, Ermelindo Leal and Eugénia Carvalho also highlight that “this study has great social relevance, especially in a global context in which diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people – causing pain, recurrent infections, frequent hospitalizations and even amputations – and shows a continuous growth trend”.
The study was supported by several European entities and in addition to Roskilde University, it included the participation of scientists from other Danish institutions, such as the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University.