ACT Polypeptide for Regenerative Wound Healing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for wound healing in humans fail to restore complex tissue structure and function following injury, as they predominantly result in the formation of scar tissue rather than regeneration, with no effective means to prevent or treat scarring and promote regeneration.

Innovation Solution

Administration of an isolated polypeptide comprising a carboxy-terminal amino acid sequence of an alpha Connexin (alpha Connexin carboxy-Terminal or ACT polypeptide) or its conservative variants, which reduces inflammation, promotes healing, and enhances tissue regeneration by increasing gap junction formation and inhibiting cell proliferation and migration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional wound healing methods are used, then wound closure is achieved, but scar tissue formation occurs and complex tissue structure and function are not restored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue regeneration qualityVSAvoidscar tissue formation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful scarring process into a beneficial regeneration process by using ACT polypeptide to modulate the wound healing response. The treatment transforms what would normally be a fibrotic scar formation into organized tissue regeneration with restored complex structure and function, effectively converting the harmful outcome into a beneficial one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the biological parameters of wound healing by introducing ACT polypeptide, which alters the cellular behavior during repair. This includes changing the proliferation rate, migration patterns, and differentiation of cells involved in wound healing, thereby shifting the outcome from scarring to regeneration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If rapid wound closure is achieved through conventional methods, then healing speed increases, but tissue structure complexity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewound healing speedVSAvoidtissue structure restoration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ACT polypeptide treatment maintains continuous beneficial action throughout the wound healing process, from initial injury through to complete repair. This continuous presence ensures that regenerative signals are sustained throughout all phases of healing, preventing the loss of tissue complexity even as rapid closure occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If inflammation is allowed to proceed naturally during wound healing, then immune response is activated, but excessive inflammation delays healing and increases scarring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealing outcomeVSAvoidinflammation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ACT polypeptide applies preliminary anti-inflammatory action at the onset of wound healing, preventing excessive inflammation before it can develop. By acting early in the inflammatory phase, the treatment prevents the harmful effects of prolonged or excessive inflammation while still allowing necessary immune responses to occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS8357668B2Compositions and methods for promoting wound healing and tissue regeneration

Publication Date: 2013.01.22 MUSC FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT(US)

AI summary

Provided herein are compositions and methods for use in promoting wound healing and tissue regeneration following tissue injury in a subject.