MC1R reduces scarring and rescues stalled healing in a preclinical chronic wound model

Abstract

Cutaneous healing results in scarring with significant functional and psychological sequelae, while chronic non-healing wounds represent repair failure often with devastating consequences, including amputation and death. Due to a lack of effective therapies, novel interventions addressing scarring and chronic wounds are urgently needed. Here, we demonstrate that harnessing melanocortin 1 receptor with a selective agonist (MC1R-Ag) confers multifaceted benefits to wound repair. MC1R-Ag accelerates wound closure and re-epithelialization while improving wound bed perfusion and lymphatic drainage by promoting angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Concomitant reductions in oxidative stress, inflammation and scarring were also observed. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting MC1R in pathological healing, we established a novel murine model that recapitulates the hallmarks of human non-healing wounds. This model combines advanced age and locally elevated oxidative stress. Remarkably, topical application of MC1R-Ag restored repair, whereas disrupting MC1R signalling exacerbated the chronic wound phenotype. Our study highlights MC1R agonism as a promising therapeutic approach for scarring and non-healing wound pathologies, and our chronic wound model as a valuable tool for elucidating ulcer development mechanisms.