Investigating the therapeutic efficacy of sea cucumber protein extract on murine dermal wound healing and its anti-inflammatory modulatory pathways

Abstract

Chronic and non-healing wounds pose significant global health challenges, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic agents that can accelerate tissue regeneration and mitigate excessive inflammation. This article conceptually investigates the therapeutic efficacy of a prepared sea cucumber protein extract on murine dermal wound healing and elucidates its potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Sea cucumbers are rich sources of bioactive compounds, including proteins, with reported regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. This conceptual study outlines a methodology for preparing the protein extract, establishing a full-thickness dermal wound model in mice, and assessing wound closure rates, histological changes, and key inflammatory markers (e.g., pro-inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB pathway components). Hypothetical results anticipate accelerated wound closure, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and downregulation of inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly through the modulation of macrophages and related molecular cascades. The discussion explores how the unique protein composition of sea cucumber might contribute to these effects, proposing that its immunomodulatory actions facilitate a more favorable wound microenvironment for repair. This research direction holds substantial promise for developing new biomaterial-based dressings and therapeutic strategies for challenging wound healing scenarios, leveraging natural marine resources.