Photoactivated rose bengal mitigates a fibrotic phenotype and improves cutaneous wound healing in full-thickness injuries.

Healing of deep cutaneous wounds often results in detrimental sequelae, including painful and debilitating scars. Current therapies for full-thickness injuries that target specific phases of wound healing have moderate success; however, full resolution remains incomplete and negative consequences persist if skin homeostasis is not achieved. Photoactivated molecules can modulate cellular responses by generating reactive oxygen species and may provide a novel therapeutic option to improve wound healing.

A pH Switch Controls Zinc Binding in Tomato Copper-Zinc Superoxide Dismutase.

Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is a major antioxidant metalloenzyme that protects cells from oxidative damage by superoxide anions (O). Structural, biophysical, and other characteristics have in the past been compiled for mammalian SOD1s and for the highly homologous fungal and bovine SOD1s. Here, we characterize the biophysical properties of a plant SOD1 from tomato chloroplasts and present several of its crystal structures.