Probiotic Applications in Wound Healing
Summary
Probiotics have emerged as promising biotherapeutic agents for accelerating wound repair and preventing infection. These live microorganisms, or their derived products, target key phases of the healing cascade including inflammation, proliferation and remodelling. Mechanistically, probiotics may exert antimicrobial activity through secretion of bacteriocins, disruption of pathogen biofilms and competitive exclusion. They also modulate the host immune response by promoting anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotypes, enhancing the production of regulatory cytokines and stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation. Cutting-edge formulations such as hydrogels, nanogels and membrane vesicle–based therapies enable localised delivery of probiotic components, optimise wound microenvironment conditions and support neovascularisation. Collectively, these strategies address global challenges posed by antibiotic resistance and chronic wounds, offering practical applications for acute injuries, diabetic ulcers and burn wounds.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have demonstrated that lysates of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG significantly accelerate re-epithelialisation in keratinocyte scratch assays. This effect is mediated by upregulation of the chemokine CXCL2 and its receptor CXCR2, which together enhance keratinocyte migration and proliferation. In parallel, proteomic analyses of lysates from selected Lactobacillus strains have revealed modulation of pathways such as NF-κB, Hedgehog and RUNX, leading to reduced secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and increased expression of proteins involved in cell adhesion and matrix remodelling. These findings underpin the strain-specific potential of probiotic derivatives to orchestrate coordinated repair responses at the cellular level.
Probiotic Applications in Wound Healing publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in probiotic applications in wound healing across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Microbiome: The community of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, that inhabit a specific environment.
Re-epithelialisation: The restoration of an intact epithelial layer via keratinocyte migration and proliferation.
Neovascularisation: The formation of new blood vessels within healing tissue to support oxygen and nutrient delivery.
Membrane vesicles: Nano-sized extracellular structures released by bacteria that carry bioactive molecules influencing host cells.
Competitive exclusion: The mechanism by which beneficial microbes limit pathogen growth by occupying ecological niches.
References
- Burn wound infections microbiome and novel approaches using therapeutic microorganisms in burn wound infection control. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (2023).
- Oral administration of Bifidobacterium breve improves anti-angiogenic drugs-derived oral mucosal wound healing impairment via upregulation of interleukin-10. International Journal of Oral Science (2023).
- Lactobacillus Reuteri Vesicles Regulate Mitochondrial Function of Macrophages to Promote Mucosal and Cutaneous Wound Healing. Advanced Science (2024).
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Lysate Increases Re-Epithelialization of Keratinocyte Scratch Assays by Promoting Migration. Scientific Reports (2015).
- Exploring the wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-pathogenic and proteomic effects of lactic acid bacteria on keratinocytes. Scientific Reports (2020).
- Living Bacterial Hydrogels for Accelerated Infected Wound Healing. Advanced Science (2021).
- Development and In Vivo Characterization of Probiotic Lysate‐Treated Chitosan Nanogel as a Novel Biocompatible Formulation for Wound Healing. BioMed Research International (2020).
- Probiotics and Their Effect on Surgical Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and New Insights into the Role of Nanotechnology. Nutrients (2021).
- Efficacy of Using Probiotics with Antagonistic Activity against Pathogens of Wound Infections: An Integrative Review of Literature. BioMed Research International (2019).
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