Collagen deficiency in the skin causes an incurable, fatal blistering wound known as the Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa or RDEB. The fragile skin blisters even at the slightest friction or knock. These chronic wounds are a common RDEB morbidity, and they lack definite therapies. This study assesses the healing capacity of skin allografts in RDEB patients.
This study aims to assess the allogeneic epidermal skin graft transplant procedure’s efficacy and durability over time. A total of 35 epidermal graft transplant procedures took place on 8 RDEB patients. It was over 1157 days, with a range of 548 to 2884 days. The post-alloHCT clinical trial included 9 chronic wound grafts per patient per year. The donors offered 5 sq. cm epidermal grafts in an outpatient setting using the CELLUTOME Epidermal Harvesting System. Post-grafting wound photography, and symptom inventories got completed with baselines of 6, 12, and 52 weeks.
The median percent wound reduction was 75%, 95%, and 100% after 6, 12, and 52 weeks. The harvest sites healed quickly without any scarring. After one year, biopsy and electron microscope studies revealed type VII collagen, anchoring fibrils, and 42% full thickness donor DNA cell absorption. The skin functioning also eased in RDEB patients with the release of pseudosyndactyly.
The epidermal skin grafts were successful and durable after one year. The donor allografts healed the adjacent wounds facilitating bone marrow-derived donor cell mediation.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjd.19503
