Bifunctional Peptide that Anneals to Damaged Collagen and Clusters TGF-β Receptors Enhances Wound Healing

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) plays important roles in wound healing. The activity of TGF-beta is initiated upon the binding of the growth factor to the extracellular domains of its receptors. We sought to facilitate the activation by clustering these extracellular domains. To do so, we used a known peptide that binds to TGF-beta receptors without diminishing their affinity for TGF-beta. We conjugated this peptide to a collagen-mimetic peptide that can anneal to the damaged collagen in a wound bed. We find that the conjugate enhances collagen deposition and wound closure in mice in a manner consistent with the clustering of TGF-beta receptors. This strategy provides a means to upregulate the TGF-beta signaling pathway without adding exogenous TGF-beta and could inspire means to treat severe wounds.

Automated summary

This study provides a method to upregulate the TGF-beta signaling pathway by clustering the extracellular domains of TGF-beta receptors, which can enhance wound healing.