Hedgehog Signaling Is Essential For Normal Wound Healing

October 2008 in “ Wound Repair and Regeneration ”

Huong Thuy Le, Rebecca Kleinerman, Oren Z. Lerman, D. J. Brown, Robert D. Galiano, Geoffrey C. Gurtner, Stephen M. Warren, Jamie P. Levine, Pierre B. Saadeh

Sonic hedgehog signaling Shh cyclopamine epithelialization granulation tissue vascularity follicular regeneration Shh pathway agonists prenatal signaling pathways nonhealing ulcers alopecias hedgehog signaling Shh signaling Cy wound healing hair follicle regeneration

TLDR Sonic hedgehog signaling is crucial for normal wound healing.

The study found that Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling was crucial for normal wound healing in mice. Inhibiting Shh signaling with cyclopamine (Cy) in 40 mice resulted in significantly delayed wound closure, with Cy-treated mice taking 28.6% longer to heal than controls. These mice also showed a threefold delay in epithelialization and reduced granulation tissue volume. The research indicated that Shh signaling disruption impaired vascularity, proliferation, and follicular regeneration, suggesting that Shh pathway agonists could potentially reverse these effects. The findings implied that prenatal signaling pathways were reactivated during postnatal wound healing, offering potential therapeutic applications for nonhealing ulcers and alopecias.