The Role of Skin Macrophages Under Conditions of Stress and Injury: Ultraviolet Irradiation and Wound Healing
December 2018
TLDR Inhibiting IL-17 and IL-23 improves wound healing in obese, diabetic mice by promoting healing macrophages.
This thesis investigated the role of skin macrophages under stress and injury, focusing on wound healing and UV irradiation. It found that inhibiting IL-17 and IL-23 improved wound closure in obese, diabetic mice by promoting a pro-healing macrophage phenotype. IL-33/ST2 signaling was crucial for effective wound healing, as ST2-/- mice showed impaired healing and altered macrophage polarization. The NLRP3 inflammasome was not significantly involved in chronic wound healing. UV irradiation induced immune suppression, but depleting macrophages in neonates prevented long-term suppression. The study also highlighted changes in resident macrophages post-UV exposure, suggesting a role in immune suppression and contact hypersensitivity.