Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a serine protease inhibitor with anti-microbial properties found in mucosal fluids. At the tissue level, the ability of this 12kDa protein is to counteract the excessive degradation of functional and structural proteins such as collagen and fibronectin. Impaired healing states are characterized by excessive proteolysis and often bacterial infection, leading to the hypothesis that SLPI may have a role in this process. To investigate the role of SLPI in skin how it contributes to tissue repair, we have generated mice null for the gene encoding SLPI (Slpi), which show impaired cutaneous wound healing with increased inflammation. For the purpose of this, we have performed wound experiment in skin tissue with morphometrical analyses, immunohistochemistry, and Rnase protection assay. From these analyses, the results were that delayed healing in KO mice wounds compared to that of WT, prolonged inflammatory phase and increased TGF-beta1 in KO wounds, and lower mechanical properties in KO wounds. Taken together, SLPI may play a cruical role in cutaneous wounds healing especially in matrix reorganization that suggests the development as a clinical drug for wound healing.
Animals ; Bacterial Infections ; Collagen ; Fibronectins ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout* ; Proteolysis ; Ribonucleases ; Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor* ; Serine Proteases ; Skin ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*