The mTOR inhibitors and the skin wound healing.

Benhadou, Farida; Marmol, Veronique del

Background: The wound healing process is di-vided into four phases: haemostasis/coagulation, inflammation, proliferation, and wound remodel-ling. The wound closure needs a perfect control of these phases thus wound management is always a challenge. Numerous factors, like medications, can markedly affect most aspects of the wound healing process. Aim: We want to focus our attention on the mam-malian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Deregu-lation of the mTOR signalling pathway occurs frequently in human malignancies. The pharma-cological inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin and its analogs is used in organ transplantation to prevent rejection and to slow skin carcinogenesis in organ recipients. Methods: This article reviews the recent literature on the mTOR inhibitors and the potential cel-lular and/or molecular mechanisms involved in the wound healing process. Results and conclusions: The mTOR inhibi-tors can affect all steps of the healing process by decreasing the inflammatory cell number, ang-iogenesis, and myofibroblast proliferation. The frequent association, among organ recipients treated by mTOR inhibitors, with other immu-nosuppressive therapies and comorbidities exac-erbate the risk of wound healing complications. The complexity of the mTOR pathway is not completely understood but its role in the wound healing process is crucial. The indication for the mTOR therapy has to be discussed carefully for each patient.

SKIN tumors; IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE agents; TRANSPLANTATION of organs, tissues, etc.; WOUND healing; PHARMACODYNAMICS; RAPAMYCIN; PREVENTION

EWMA Journal, 2013, Vol 13, Issue 1, p20

1609-2759

Academic Journal