In a controlled experiment, aged mice treated with ABT-263 before a standardized skin wound showed remarkable results, with one-third completely healed by day 15, and all treated mice had no open wounds by day 21.

The treatment notably upregulated genes associated with wound healing, particularly those involved in blood vessel formation and collagen synthesis.

The researchers theorize that the mass death of senescent cells due to ABT-263 releases damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which may enhance macrophage activity to clear debris, supporting the idea that transient inflammation can aid in wound healing.

However, the treatment also led to increased overall inflammation in the aged mice, characterized by a significant rise in macrophage and neutrophil infiltration, while T cell presence was reduced.

In the study, 24-month-old mice received either a control treatment or a combination of DMSO and ABT-263 for five days, resulting in reduced senescence markers in the treatment group.

ABT-263 promotes the removal of senescent cells by inhibiting the Bcl-2 protein family, leading to a significant upregulation of Bcl2 in the treated mice.

Researchers have published findings in the journal Aging, revealing that the senolytic compound ABT-263 can accelerate wound healing in aged mice when administered prior to injury.

While some senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors were upregulated, a comprehensive analysis indicated no significant differences in overall SASP gene expression, although inflammatory factors were notably increased.

The researchers emphasize that their method of topical application of ABT-263 differs from systemic approaches used in previous studies, suggesting potential benefits for recovery in surgical settings for older individuals.

Despite the promising findings, further investigation is needed to determine if the results observed in mice are applicable to humans.

ABT-263 has been recognized in laboratory research for its ability to reduce signs of skin aging and has demonstrated senolytic effects in prior studies.