Scientists have developed skin cells genetically altered to produce higher levels of a protein known as human beta defensin 4 (HBD4) which may be added to skin substitutes to prevent infections during the grafting period.

"Cultured skin substitutes are improving the lives of many burn patients, but they also have limitations--including an increased susceptibility to infection," says Supp. "Because cultured skin grafts aren't connected to the circulatory system at the time of grafting, they aren't immediately exposed to circulating antibiotic drugs or antibodies from the body's immune system to fight off infection."

This technique reduces a patient's susceptibility to infections, increases the success rate to fthe skin graft survival, and possibly reduces the need for topical antibiotics, which may subsequently contribute to the emergence or resistant bacteria.

Researchers hope to begin testing this approach in an animal model in early 2007. The initial findings are published in the January issue of the Journal of Burn Care and Research.

[Source: EurekAlert, Photo: Cells that were genetically modified to produce higher levels of a protein known as human beta defensin 4 are shown in green. Credit: University of Cincinnati and Shriners Hospitals for Children]