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Alerting the Body to Tissue Injury: The Role of Alarmins and DAMPs in Cutaneous Wound Healing

  • Wound Healing and Tissue Repair (CC Yates, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pathobiology Reports

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Tissue injury stimulates an inflammatory response that is mediated in part by alarmins. Alarmins are a group of endogenous molecules that trigger inflammation in response to damage. This class of molecules is becoming increasingly recognized for its ability to influence wound healing. This article will provide an overview of alarmins and outline the latest findings on these mediators in cutaneous wound healing.

Recent Findings

In addition to stimulating inflammatory cells, recent evidence suggests that alarmins can act on other cells in the skin to affect wound closure and the extent of scar tissue production. This review will focus on high-mobility group box-1 and IL-33, two alarmins that have received recent attention in the wound healing field.

Summary

Because a properly regulated inflammatory response is critical for optimal healing, further research must be done to fully understand the role of alarmins in the wound repair process.

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Acknowledgements

NIH funding (R21 ES022749 to TAW) is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, 1645 Neil Avenue, 129 Hamilton Hall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Traci A. Wilgus

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  1. Traci A. Wilgus
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Correspondence to Traci A. Wilgus.

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Dr. Wilgus has nothing to disclose.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Wound Healing and Tissue Repair

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Wilgus, T.A. Alerting the Body to Tissue Injury: The Role of Alarmins and DAMPs in Cutaneous Wound Healing. Curr Pathobiol Rep 6, 55–60 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40139-018-0162-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40139-018-0162-1

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