HDFx: a novel biologic immunomodulator accelerates wound healing and is suggestive of unique regenerative powers: potential implications for the warfighter and disaster victims

Recently, we reported on the discovery of a new, conserved biologic protein (35-40 KDa), termed HDFx, that protects rats, guinea-pigs, mice, and rabbits against lethal hemorrhage, endotoxins, intestinal ischemic-shock, and traumatic injuries. It was found to stimulate several arms of the immune system. The present report demonstrates, for the first time, that HDFx accelerates wound healing in two different models (excision wound model; and incision wound model) in rats. The results shown, herein, indicate that HDFx produces greater rates of wound contraction, greater tensile strength, and more rapid healing than controls. Our new data also show that this biologic increases hydroxyproline content of granulation tissue coupled with a reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, we show that HDFx increases the levels of serum ascorbic acid and stimulates the mononuclear cells of the reticuloendothelial system (RES). Overall, these data suggest that HDFx may possess unique regenerative powers. We, thus, believe that HDFx can be of great potential use in diverse types of wounds which, otherwise, could result in difficult to treat infections and thus prevent sepsis and loss of body parts from amputations.