Connective Tissue V. Effect of Topical Trypsin upon Dermal Chemical Response to Local Inflammation and Necrosis. ∗ ‡

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions

The effects of daily topical application of trypsin upon the dermal chemistry changes produced by croton oil induced local inflammation at the site of injury as well as distant from the site of injury, were compared with enzymatically untreated irritant injected control rats. Locally, trypsin treatment resulted in an inhibition of the increase in lesion hexosamine normally encountered in response to chemically induced inflammation. The collagen content of the lesion decreased independently of topical trypsin application. Although the eschar sloughed 10 days after injury with trypsin treatment, as opposed to the 13 days required by the controls, continued topical trypsin treatment inhibited the chemical healing of the lesion.

The serum nitrogen, hexosamine and hydroxyproline were significantly increased with trypsin treatment; evidence for the increased drainage of wound products into the circulation via proteolytically unblocked capillaries and lymphatics.

Local inflammation resulted in profound and specific decreases in concentration of collagen in uninjured skin distal to site of inflammation. Topical application of trypsin to the lesion appeared to partially inhibit this decrease in dermal collagen distant from the site of local injury. Topical trypsin application increased the amount of citrate soluble collagen found in uninjured skin distant from the site of local injury, but both groups of animals demonstrated a similar and profound loss in insoluble collagen. This dermal collagen loss was prolonged with continued trypsin treatment of the local lesion.