Hv RNASET2 Regulate Connective Tissue and Collagen I Remodeling During Wound Healing Process.

Several studies have recently demonstrated that the correct regeneration of damaged tissues and the maintaining of homeostasis after wounds or injuries are tightly connected to different biological events, involving immune response, fibroplasia, and angiogenetic processes, in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In this context, our previous data demonstrated that the Hirudo verbana recombinant protein r Hv RNASET2 not only plays a pivotal role in innate immune modulation, but is also able to activate resident fibroblasts leading to new collagen production, both in vivo and in vitro . Indeed, when injected in the leech body wall, which represents a consolidated invertebrate model for studying both immune response and tissue regeneration, Hv RNASET2 induces macrophages recruitment, fibroplasia, and synthesis of new collagen. Based on this evidence, we evaluate the role of Hv RNASET2 on muscle tissue regeneration and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in r Hv RNASET2-injected wounded leeches, compared to PBS-injected wounded leeches used as control. The results presented here not only confirms our previous evidence, reporting that Hv RNASET2 leads to an increased collagen production, but also shows that an overexpression of this protein might influence the correct progress of muscle tissue regeneration. Moreover, due to its inhibitory effect on vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, Hv RNASET2 apparently interfere with the recruitment of the myoendothelial vessel-associated precursor cells that in turn are responsible for muscle regeneration during wound healing repair.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2021 Baranzini, Pulze, Tettamanti, Acquati and Grimaldi.)