Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2022, 23(1): 14-23
TOPICAL PAPERS

MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF THE WOUND HEALING EFFECT OF ZINC AS AN ESSENTIAL TRACE ELEMENT

S.A. Lebedeva¹, P.A. Galenko-Yaroshevsky (Jr.)², V.O. Rychka¹, Yu.V. Zharov¹, D.S. Zavorina¹, S.V. Kozin¹

¹ I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russian Federation, 119991, Moscow, Trubetskaya str., 8, p. 2
² "Leningrad Central District Hospital" of the Ministry of Health of the Krasnodar Territory, 353740, Krasnodar Territory, Leningradsky district, Leningradskaya stanitsa, 302 Divisii str., 24

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2022-23-1-14-23 

ABSTRACT. Over 3000 unique zinc proteins are currently known to play an important role in numerous physiological processes, including skin repair and regeneration. The process of wound healing includes several phases: hemostasis, inflammation, cell proliferation, reepithelialisation, granulation and angiogenesis, matrix remodelling and scar formation. The physiological role of zinc in all these phases is beyond any doubt. In the multicomponent cascade mechanism of wound healing the anti-inflammatory, membrane stabilizing and epithelializing effect of zinc is crucially important. Currently, the role of this trace element in thrombocytic and vascular hemostasis has been studied and shown that, along with calcium ions, zinc increases platelet activity and aggregation and is involved in the formation of the fibrin clot. Numerous studies demonstrate the involvement of zinc in the immune system, as well as its effect on cytokine production by reducing the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), but the mechanisms of regulation of the NF-kB pathway are not fully researched. Thus, although the dermatotropic effects of zinc are obvious, its role in skin repair is not fully studied and has many "white spots". This review presents an analysis of scientific works that investigate the involvement of zinc in the molecular mechanisms of wound healing. The role of zinc was shown to be mediated by zinc-containing proteins, the understanding of which remains one of the priority tasks relevant to the therapy of wound skin injuries.

KEYWORDS: inflammation, hemostasis, skin, tissue proliferation, wound, wound healing, matrix remodeling, zinc.