Estrogen Has Healing Powers

Hormone plays major role in mending of wounds

THURSDAY, May 1, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- Estrogen plays an important role in wound healing and age-related estrogen loss in both women and men results in an impaired ability to heal as we grow older.

So says a University of Manchester study in the May 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The study found estrogen influences wound healing by inhibiting the local inflammatory response. It does this by "downregulation" of macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF).

The finding provides information about a specific target for treatment in people with delayed wound healing.

Wound healing in the skin is associated with an initial inflammatory response, which is followed by reformation of the outermost layer of skin. During that initial response, the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the wound site causes increased local expression of MIF.

That, in turn, attracts more inflammatory cells to the wound site.

In their study, the University of Manchester researchers made small incisions in estrogen-deficient mice. After receiving the incision, the mice had an unchecked increase of MIF expression in the area of the wound, leading to excessive inflammation and delayed wound healing.

The researchers also found the healing rates in MIF-deficient mice that also lacked estrogen were not significantly different than healing rates in normal mice.

The study results indicate that MIF is a crucial component in uncontrolled inflammation and slow wound healing. That suggests that wound healing might be assisted by drugs that inhibit MIF.

More information

Here's where you can learn more about wounds.

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