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Review
. 2024 Apr 24;25(9):4629.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25094629.

Host-Microbiome Crosstalk in Chronic Wound Healing

Mara Mădălina Mihai  1   2   3 , Beatrice Bălăceanu-Gurău  2 , Ana Ion  2 , Alina Maria Holban  3 , Cristian-Dorin Gurău  4 , Marius Nicolae Popescu  5   6 , Cristina Beiu  1   2 , Liliana Gabriela Popa  1   2 , Mircea Ioan Popa  7   8 , Cerasella Cristiana Dragomirescu  7   8 , Mădălina Preda  8   9 , Alexandru-Andrei Muntean  7   8 , Ioana Sabina Macovei  8 , Veronica Lazăr  3
Affiliations
Review

Host-Microbiome Crosstalk in Chronic Wound Healing

Mara Mădălina Mihai et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The pathogenesis of chronic wounds (CW) involves a multifaceted interplay of biochemical, immunological, hematological, and microbiological interactions. Biofilm development is a significant virulence trait which enhances microbial survival and pathogenicity and has various implications on the development and management of CW. Biofilms induce a prolonged suboptimal inflammation in the wound microenvironment, associated with delayed healing. The composition of wound fluid (WF) adds more complexity to the subject, with proven pro-inflammatory properties and an intricate crosstalk among cytokines, chemokines, microRNAs, proteases, growth factors, and ECM components. One approach to achieve information on the mechanisms of disease progression and therapeutic response is the use of multiple high-throughput 'OMIC' modalities (genomic, proteomic, lipidomic, metabolomic assays), facilitating the discovery of potential biomarkers for wound healing, which may represent a breakthrough in this field and a major help in addressing delayed wound healing. In this review article, we aim to summarize the current progress achieved in host-microbiome crosstalk in the spectrum of CW healing and highlight future innovative strategies to boost the host immune response against infections, focusing on the interaction between pathogens and their hosts (for instance, by harnessing microorganisms like probiotics), which may serve as the prospective advancement of vaccines and treatments against infections.

Keywords: bacterial signaling; biomarker; chronic ulcers; chronic wounds; host immunity; host–pathogen communication; host–pathogen interplay; microbial biofilms; prebiotics; probiotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graphic representation of biofilm formation within a wound, starting from the attachment of bacteria and followed by growth, the formation of microcolonies, the maturation phase, and finally, dispersion.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graphic representation of the mechanisms and pathways involved in delayed wound healing in DFUs due to the microbiome crosstalk.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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