Clostridial collagenase releases bioactive fragments from extracellular matrix molecules

The current study was designed to investigate the biological role of small extracellular matrix fragments in wound healing. Human burn eschar tissue w as digested with bacterial collagenase, and small aminoacidic fragments wer e inoculated in both human dermal fibroblast cultures and polyvinyl alcohol sponges implanted subcutaneously in the rat. Proliferation assays on cell cultures and biochemical and histologic analyses of the animal model were t hen performed. Results showed that fibroblasts treated with low concentrati ons of eschar fragments duplicated significantly faster than controls. Bioc hemical and histologic data from sponge implants showed that the inflammato ry response was augmented by eschar-derived fragments at postoperative day 2, whereas protein and hydroxyproline synthesis were decreased at day 14. I n conclusion, these data substantiate that the application of bacterial col lagenase to debride necrotic tissue may have an indirect healing effect res ulting from the local release of bioactive matrix-derived fragments.