Hyaluronate Fragments Reverse Skin Atrophy by a CD44-Dependent Mechanism

The study explored the effects of intermediate-size hyaluronate fragments (HAFi) on reversing skin atrophy through a CD44-dependent mechanism. It was found that HAFi increased keratinocyte proliferation and epidermal thickness in normal mice, but not in CD44-deficient mice, highlighting the critical role of CD44. In human trials, six patients with atrophic skin showed significant improvement in skin thickness after 1 month of HAFi treatment, while 17 control participants showed no changes. The mechanism involved interactions with heparin-binding epidermal growth factor and its receptor, erbB1. The findings suggested that HAFi could be a promising treatment for skin atrophy, with further research needed to confirm its efficacy and understand the underlying mechanisms.