Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes

Abstract Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the depletion of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to hallmark motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. While the focus of PD has been on motor changes, dermatological changes are...

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Main Authors: Caroline Liu, Johanna Ghebrehiwet-Kuflom, Roslyn Rivkah Isseroff, Sara Dahle, Vera Morhenn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Molecular Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01247-w
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author Caroline Liu
Johanna Ghebrehiwet-Kuflom
Roslyn Rivkah Isseroff
Sara Dahle
Vera Morhenn
author_facet Caroline Liu
Johanna Ghebrehiwet-Kuflom
Roslyn Rivkah Isseroff
Sara Dahle
Vera Morhenn
author_sort Caroline Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the depletion of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to hallmark motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. While the focus of PD has been on motor changes, dermatological changes are also commonly seen and may even precede the neurological symptoms. Individuals with PD may exhibit impaired wound healing, potentially due to dysregulated mechanisms involving epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in keratinocytes. This paper hypothesizes that the potential for impaired wound healing in PD patients is linked to reduced EGFR activity and altered NMDAR subunit expression in keratinocytes, in contrast to the upregulated wound healing seen in conditions like psoriasis, which demonstrates elevated EGFR and changes in NMDAR subunit activity. Furthermore, a potential co-interaction between EGF and NMDA in keratinocytes may further contribute to impaired wound healing. Investigating these signaling mechanisms can improve understanding and management of associated dermatological symptoms. We propose additional studies to quantify differences in rates of wound healing between PD patients and age-matched controls in effort to explore therapeutic targets for enhancing wounding healing in the context of PD.
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spelling doaj-art-6bcdab410d3c4ef8888ec5f4e9771f932025-08-20T02:33:25ZengBMCMolecular Medicine1528-36582025-05-013111910.1186/s10020-025-01247-wImpaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytesCaroline Liu0Johanna Ghebrehiwet-Kuflom1Roslyn Rivkah Isseroff2Sara Dahle3Vera Morhenn4University of California Davis School of MedicineDermatology Service, VA Northern California, Sacramento VA Medical CenterDermatology Service, VA Northern California, Sacramento VA Medical CenterDepartment of Dermatology, University of California Davis Medical CenterDermatology Service, VA Northern California, Sacramento VA Medical CenterAbstract Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the depletion of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to hallmark motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. While the focus of PD has been on motor changes, dermatological changes are also commonly seen and may even precede the neurological symptoms. Individuals with PD may exhibit impaired wound healing, potentially due to dysregulated mechanisms involving epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in keratinocytes. This paper hypothesizes that the potential for impaired wound healing in PD patients is linked to reduced EGFR activity and altered NMDAR subunit expression in keratinocytes, in contrast to the upregulated wound healing seen in conditions like psoriasis, which demonstrates elevated EGFR and changes in NMDAR subunit activity. Furthermore, a potential co-interaction between EGF and NMDA in keratinocytes may further contribute to impaired wound healing. Investigating these signaling mechanisms can improve understanding and management of associated dermatological symptoms. We propose additional studies to quantify differences in rates of wound healing between PD patients and age-matched controls in effort to explore therapeutic targets for enhancing wounding healing in the context of PD.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01247-wWound healingParkinson’s diseaseNMDAEGFPsoriasis
spellingShingle Caroline Liu
Johanna Ghebrehiwet-Kuflom
Roslyn Rivkah Isseroff
Sara Dahle
Vera Morhenn
Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
Molecular Medicine
Wound healing
Parkinson’s disease
NMDA
EGF
Psoriasis
title Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
title_full Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
title_fullStr Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
title_full_unstemmed Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
title_short Impaired wound healing in Parkinson’s disease: a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor (EGF) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling in keratinocytes
title_sort impaired wound healing in parkinson s disease a hypothesis on altered epidermal growth factor egf and n methyl d aspartate nmda signaling in keratinocytes
topic Wound healing
Parkinson’s disease
NMDA
EGF
Psoriasis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01247-w
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