Chronic wound diagnostic for matrix metalloproteinase

Abstract

Acute wound healing is a highly complex process that is regulated in large part by the integrated actions of several key classes of proteins, including growth factors, receptors, proteases, and extracellular matrix components. Molecular analyses of chronic wound biopsies and fluids have identified several proteins whose levels are dramatically altered compared to acute healing wounds. Specifically, high levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in wound fluids and biopsies have been reported to correlate with poor healing of chronic wounds and to decrease as chronic wounds began to heal. At present, clinicians do not have a way to readily obtain this useful information. This critical absence has led to the development of a prototype device that can be used by wound care providers at the point-of-care to rapidly measure MMP activity in swab samples of wound fluid. The measurement of MMP activity should provide critical information on the healing trajectory of the wound and if the wound bed is adequately prepared for advanced biological therapies such as recombinant growth factors and engineered skin substitutes.