Stimulation of the Follicular Bulge LGR5+ and LGR6+ Stem Cells with the Gut-Derived Human Alpha Defensin 5 Results in Decreased Bacterial Presence, Enhanced Wound Healing, and Hair Growth from Tissues Devoid of Adnexal Structures.

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Nov;132(5):1159-71. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3182a48af6.
Stimulation of the Follicular Bulge LGR5+ and LGR6+ Stem Cells with the Gut-Derived Human Alpha Defensin 5 Results in Decreased Bacterial Presence, Enhanced Wound Healing, and Hair Growth from Tissues Devoid of Adnexal Structures.
Lough D, Dai H, Yang M, Reichensperger J, Cox L, Harrison C, Neumeister MW.

Springfield, Ill. From the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Microsurgery and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Southern Illinois University; and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

BACKGROUND:
Discovery of leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptors 5 and 6 (LGR5 and LGR6) as markers of adult epithelial stem cells of the skin and intestine permits researchers to draw on the intrinsic cellular fundamentals of wound healing and proliferation dynamics of epithelial surfaces. In this study, the authors use the intestine-derived human alpha defensin 5 to stimulate epithelial proliferation, bacterial reduction, and hair production in burn wound beds to provide the field with initial insight on augmenting wound healing in tissues devoid of adnexal stem cells.
METHODS:
Murine third-degree burn wound beds were treated with (1) intestine-derived human alpha defensin 5, (2) skin-derived human beta defensin 1, and (3) sulfadiazine to determine their roles in wound healing, bacterial reduction, and hair growth.
RESULTS:
The human alpha defensin 5 peptide significantly enhanced wound healing and reduced basal bacterial load compared with human beta defensin 1 and sulfadiazine. Human alpha defensin 5 was the only therapy to induce LGR stem cell migration into the wound bed. In addition, gene heat mapping showed significant mRNA up-regulation of key wound healing and Wnt pathway transcripts such as Wnt1 and Wisp1. Ex vivo studies showed enhanced cell migration in human alpha defensin 5-treated wounds compared with controls.
CONCLUSIONS:
Application of human alpha defensin 5 increases LGR stem cell migration into wound beds, leading to enhanced healing, bacterial reduction, and hair production through the augmentation of key Wnt and wound healing transcripts. These findings can be used to derive gut protein-based therapeutics in wound healing.

ok so based on this new information, what do we do?

moby wrote:ok so based on this new information, what do we do?

Sometimes information like this becomes more relevant later on, especially as more research comes in.

Having said that, there have been studies in the past that show that human alpha defensin 5, which is part of intestinal membrane tissue optimizes or enhances wound healing...but really, it actually can perform what some would describe as a miracle....I shouldn't really use that word...but I digress, it helps activate growth factors.

The question might be, how does one either optimize what they already have, or can one transport this to another region. For some people, a limitation to reaching hair growth or stopping hair loss can occur in the gut...especially those with IBS or other inflammatory bowel problems.