Topical Drug ABT-263 Shows Promise in Reversing Skin Aging and Accelerating Wound Healing in Mice
A recent study published in Aging (Aging-US) indicates that the experimental drug ABT-263, when applied topically, can reduce signs of aging in skin and significantly improve wound healing in older mice. Researchers from the Boston University Aram V. Chobanian and Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, including Maria Shvedova and Daniel S. Roh, found that ABT-263, a senolytic drug, selectively eliminates senescent cells—damaged cells that stop dividing but remain in tissues, contributing to chronic inflammation and hindering repair. After five days of topical treatment, aged mice showed fewer senescent cells in their skin. When wounds were subsequently created, 80% of the treated mice had completely healed wounds by day 24, compared to only 56% of untreated aged mice. The drug also temporarily increased inflammatory activity, which, in this controlled manner, helped activate the skin's repair mechanisms, and boosted genes involved in collagen production and new blood vessel formation.
