dsRNA

Much of the excitement about regenerative medicine goes to regrowing internal organs for transplantation.  But wrinkles and scars are also subjects for regeneration.  In this piece, researchers at Johns Hopkins describe how laser and retinoic acid treatments currently used in cosmetic surgery actually work:  “Here we show that self-noncoding dsRNA activates the anti-viral receptor toll like receptor 3 (TLR3) to induce intrinsic retinoic acid (RA) synthesis in a pattern that predicts new hair follicle formation after wounding in mice. Additionally, in humans, rejuvenation lasers induce gene expression signatures for dsRNA [double stranded RNA] and RA [retinoic acid], with measurable increases in intrinsic RA synthesis. These results demonstrate a potent stimulus for RA synthesis by non-coding dsRNA, relevant to their broad functions in development and immunity.”    MORE

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