ADA Forsyth Fridays: Molecule may reduce scarring after orofacial cleft surgery

Peptide drug derived from fibromodulin could be used in surgical procedures

Researchers from the ADA Forsyth Institute and the University of California, Los Angeles have identified a molecule that may help reduce excessive scarring after orofacial cleft surgery.

When an orofacial cleft is closed surgically under tension, it often produces a hypertrophic scar, which can be disfiguring, affect function and impact patients socially and economically. This abnormal healing is caused in part by excessive myofibroblasts, which are cells that produce and organize collagen.

The molecule, an extracellular matrix protein called fibromodulin, works to maintain a balanced level of myofibroblasts. Fibromodulin may prevent excessive scarring when included in surgical procedures that close tissue, such as suturing a cleft lip. This method may also be successful in preventing keloid scars.

“Our team has been exploring ways to improve scarring from cleft lip repair,” said Eric Kang Ting, D.M.D., D.Med.Sc., adjunct faculty at ADA Forsyth and one of the researchers. “We have identified a new peptide drug derived from fibromodulin that may help reduce excessive scarring. This publication demonstrates the broader role of fibromodulin in regulating a key cell involved in scarring: the myofibroblast.”

Other researchers included Chia Soo, M.D.; Pin Ha, D.D.S., M.D.; and Zhong Zheng, Ph.D., from UCLA. They published their findings in Nature Communications.

“By targeting the biology of scarring at the molecular level, this breakthrough has the potential to transform outcomes for patients undergoing cleft repair and other surgical procedures,” said Ben Wu, D.D.S., Ph.D., chief scientific officer and chief operating officer of ADA Forsyth. “This powerful translational science brings fundamental biological insights to clinical care and would not have been possible without critical funding support by the National Institutes of Health.”