The mechanisms of wound healing and tissue repair in humans are often impaired in the elderly, in cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, in persons with diabetes or poorly healing fistulas, and after severe burns.GHL-Cu (glycyl-1-histidyl-1-lysine:copper(II)) is a growth factor present in human blood that appears to function as a wound-healing and antitrauma hormone. GHL-Cu accelerates the healing of wounds in rats, mice, and pigs; possesses anti-inflammatory activities; and induces new blood vessel growth. In vitro, GHL-Cu is a chemoattractant for cells essential in healing such as mast and endothelial cells; induces axonal and dendrite outgrowth from neurons; inhibits platelet aggregation and production of thromboxane. GHL-Cu displays significant superoxide dismutase activity, a biochemical activity linked with antitrauma and tissue-protective effects. We propose to determine 1. the optimal dosage of GHL-Cu and treatment schedules to enhance wound healing, 2. the effect of GHL-Cu co-applied with wound coverage creams and 3. with dimethylsulfoxide, 4. the retention of radioactive GHL-Cu in treated wounds, and 5. the effect on wound healing of two bioactive GHL-Cu analogs, n-octyl ester glycyl1-histidyl-1-lysine:copper(II) and glycyl-1histidyl-1-cadavarine:copper(II).This work may lead to the development of a new class of pharmaceuticals for the acceleration of wound healing.National Institute on Aging (NIA)
