title: Human pilot studies reveal the potential of a vitronectin: growth factor complex as a treatment for chronic wounds.
abstract: Several different advanced treatments have been used to improve healing in chronic wounds, but none have shown sustained success. The application of topical growth factors (GFs) has displayed some potential, but the varying results, high doses and high costs have limited their widespread adoption. Many treatments have ignored the evidence that wound healing is driven by interactions between extracellular matrix proteins and GFs, not just GFs alone. We report herein that a clinical Good Manufacturing Practice-grade vitronectin:growth factor (cVN:GF) complex is able to stimulate functions relevant to wound repair in vitro, such as enhanced cellular proliferation and migration. Furthermore, we assessed this complex as a topical wound healing agent in a single-arm pilot study using venous leg ulcers, as well as several 'difficult to heal' case studies. The cVN:GF complex was safe and re-epithelialisation was observed in all but 1 of the 30 patients in the pilot study. In addition, the case studies show that this complex may be applied to several ulcer aetiologies, such as venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers. These findings suggest that further evaluation is warranted to determine whether the cVN:GF complex may be an effective topical treatment for chronic wounds.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. z.upton@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Zee
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Upton
authors.forename: Hilary J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Gary K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Shooter
authors.forename: Derek R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: van Lonkhuyzen
authors.forename: Sim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yeoh-Ellerton
authors.forename: Erin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rayment
authors.forename: Jacqui M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Broszczak
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Queen
authors.forename: R Gary
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sibbald
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Leavesley
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stacey
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D019096:Vitronectin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019096:Vitronectin