Hydrogen Peroxide Disrupts Scarless Fetal Wound Repair

The study from 2005 found that hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) disrupts the normally scarless healing process of early gestation fetal skin by increasing levels of TGF-ß1 and the proliferation of fetal fibroblasts, leading to fibrosis and scarring. The research involved at least 10 wounds per experimental group for histological evaluation and four pooled samples per group for protein analysis. In vitro experiments showed that embryonic fibroblasts' proliferation rate increased with H₂O₂ exposure and was inhibited by catalase. Elevated TGF-β1 levels were also observed in H₂O₂-treated wounds, suggesting that oxidants from inflammation could promote scar formation. These findings have potential implications for developing treatments to manage scarring in adult skin.