UIC-2019-071 – CCR10 Binding Domain Peptide(s) for Improving Skin Wound Healing in Diabetic Subjects

6.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic wounds, many cases of which are exacerbated by diabetes. These chronic wounds place enormous burden on both patients and the medical system. Reports cite that a single diabetic ulcer carries a cost of nearly $50,000 USD, and the burden overall on the medical system is over $25 billion USD. Leading anesthesiology and pharmacology researchers in the Minshall lab present four myristoylated peptides that enhance chronic wound healing. The researchers observed that activation of chemokine receptor CCR10 by chemokine CCL28 led to a decrease in nitric oxide synthase, the product of which, NO, regulates the vascular endothelium. The peptides block the inhibitory interaction between CCR10 and eNOS, leading to an overall up-regulation of eNOS. Moreover, the myristoylation of the peptides facilitates internalization into cells. Veronica Haywood vhaywo2@uic.otm.edu 312-996-4865