Growth Arrest-Specific 6 Rejuvenates Senescent Hucmscs Through Upregulating Nrf2 For Diabetic Wound Therapy
Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious complication of diabetes, often proving difficult to treat with conventional methods. A promising approach involves using specialized stem cells, but these cells can age and lose their effectiveness when grown outside the body, limiting their therapeutic potential. This research explores how a specific protein, Growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), can breathe new life into these aging stem cells.
The study found that GAS6 significantly improved the characteristics of aged stem cells, essentially making them “younger” and more functional. It achieves this by activating a crucial protective pathway within the cells. Specifically, GAS6 promotes the activation of a protein called Nrf2, which is known for its role in protecting cells from stress and damage. This activation occurs through a series of internal cellular mechanisms, including the regulation of other proteins like Keap1 and the involvement of pathways such as PI3K/Akt.
By rejuvenating these stem cells and boosting Nrf2 activity, GAS6 enhances their ability to promote the formation of new blood vessels, a critical process for wound healing. This improved capacity was observed in both cellular experiments and animal models, suggesting that GAS6 could be a valuable tool to improve stem cell-based therapies for diabetic wounds. This discovery offers a new strategy to overcome the limitations of aged stem cells, potentially leading to more effective treatments for chronic diabetic wounds.
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