Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Temporal dynamics and interrelations of cytokines, neutrophil proteins, exudation, and bacterial colonization in epidermal wound healing

Lundgren, Sigrid LU ; Petruk, Ganna LU orcid ; Wallblom, Karl LU orcid ; Cardoso, José F P LU ; Strömdahl, Ann-Charlotte LU ; Forsberg, Fredrik LU orcid ; Luo, Congyu LU ; Nilson, Bo LU orcid ; Hartman, Erik LU orcid and Fisher, Jane LU , et al. (2025) In Frontiers in Medicine 12. p.01-15
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Inflammation is integral to wound healing; yet, its dynamics in normally healing epidermal wounds are not fully characterized. To this end, we analyzed longitudinal wound fluid samples collected from epidermal suction blister wounds in healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 control wounds were induced by suction blister method in 24 healthy volunteers-1 on each thigh. Immunoassay, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and microbiological methods were applied to analyze cytokine dynamics, neutrophil activity, and bacterial colonization and levels in wound swabs and dressings during epidermal wound healing, focusing on viable cultivable wound bacteria.

RESULTS: Cytokine levels peaked on day 5, followed... (More)

INTRODUCTION: Inflammation is integral to wound healing; yet, its dynamics in normally healing epidermal wounds are not fully characterized. To this end, we analyzed longitudinal wound fluid samples collected from epidermal suction blister wounds in healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 control wounds were induced by suction blister method in 24 healthy volunteers-1 on each thigh. Immunoassay, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and microbiological methods were applied to analyze cytokine dynamics, neutrophil activity, and bacterial colonization and levels in wound swabs and dressings during epidermal wound healing, focusing on viable cultivable wound bacteria.

RESULTS: Cytokine levels peaked on day 5, followed by a decline on day 8. Wound exudation, measured by protein content, increased from day 2, peaking on day 5. The neutrophil-derived proteins myeloperoxidase, elastase, and heparin-binding protein (HBP) peaked on day 5, correlating with interleukin (IL)-8, a key neutrophil chemoattractant. The identified bacteria consisted primarily of commensal bacteria, including various staphylococci. Levels of such bacteria rose from day 2, peaking on days 5-8, and aligned with increases in the cytokines tumor necrosis factor α, IL-1β, and IL-10 at the peak of inflammation on day 5.

CONCLUSIONS: This study uncovers the coordinated dynamics of cytokines, neutrophil activity, and major commensal bacteria in epidermal wound healing and identifies HBP-a marker for neutrophil activation and endothelial leakage-for the first time in normally healing epidermal wounds.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Frontiers in Medicine
volume
12
article number
1609347
pages
01 - 15
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • pmid:40761865
  • scopus:105012476913
ISSN
2296-858X
DOI
10.3389/fmed.2025.1609347
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2025 Lundgren, Petruk, Wallblom, Cardoso, Strömdahl, Forsberg, Luo, Nilson, Hartman, Fisher, Puthia, Saleh and Schmidtchen.
id
37284587-8723-46e5-94d2-872fb78eb380
date added to LUP
2025-09-21 13:21:20
date last changed
2025-09-23 03:23:11
@article{37284587-8723-46e5-94d2-872fb78eb380,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION: Inflammation is integral to wound healing; yet, its dynamics in normally healing epidermal wounds are not fully characterized. To this end, we analyzed longitudinal wound fluid samples collected from epidermal suction blister wounds in healthy volunteers.</p><p>MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 control wounds were induced by suction blister method in 24 healthy volunteers-1 on each thigh. Immunoassay, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and microbiological methods were applied to analyze cytokine dynamics, neutrophil activity, and bacterial colonization and levels in wound swabs and dressings during epidermal wound healing, focusing on viable cultivable wound bacteria.</p><p>RESULTS: Cytokine levels peaked on day 5, followed by a decline on day 8. Wound exudation, measured by protein content, increased from day 2, peaking on day 5. The neutrophil-derived proteins myeloperoxidase, elastase, and heparin-binding protein (HBP) peaked on day 5, correlating with interleukin (IL)-8, a key neutrophil chemoattractant. The identified bacteria consisted primarily of commensal bacteria, including various staphylococci. Levels of such bacteria rose from day 2, peaking on days 5-8, and aligned with increases in the cytokines tumor necrosis factor α, IL-1β, and IL-10 at the peak of inflammation on day 5.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: This study uncovers the coordinated dynamics of cytokines, neutrophil activity, and major commensal bacteria in epidermal wound healing and identifies HBP-a marker for neutrophil activation and endothelial leakage-for the first time in normally healing epidermal wounds.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lundgren, Sigrid and Petruk, Ganna and Wallblom, Karl and Cardoso, José F P and Strömdahl, Ann-Charlotte and Forsberg, Fredrik and Luo, Congyu and Nilson, Bo and Hartman, Erik and Fisher, Jane and Puthia, Manoj and Saleh, Karim and Schmidtchen, Artur}},
  issn         = {{2296-858X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{01--15}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Medicine}},
  title        = {{Temporal dynamics and interrelations of cytokines, neutrophil proteins, exudation, and bacterial colonization in epidermal wound healing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1609347}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fmed.2025.1609347}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}