Mechanisms for Laser-Induced Rejuvenation

It has shown that laser wounding of geriatric skin protects it against skin cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine the origin of cells called fibroblasts which are present after treatment with Fractionated Laser Resurfacing (FLR). These cells restore a youth-like ultraviolet B (UVB) response, but where they come from is currently unknown. The study recruits subjects who are scheduled to undergo abdominoplasties to investigate the origin of those cells stimulated by laser treatment.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Skin Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Fractionated Laser Resurfacing

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Manager, Clinical Research Operations; Phone Number: 937-245-7500; Email: pturesearch@wrightstatephysicians.org
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Regulatory Specialist; Phone Number: 937-245-7500; Email: pturesearch@wrightstatephysicians.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Fairborn, Ohio, United States, 45324
      • Recruiting
      • Pharmacology Translational Unit
      • Contact: Pharmacology Translational Unit; Phone Number: 937-245-7500; Email: pturesearch@wrightstatephysicians.org

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult males and females 18 and older
• Able to comprehend procedures and risks
• Planning to undergo abdominoplasty surgery
• Minimum amount of skin to be removed is 50 x 20cm

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical history of not well-controlled diabetes. This is defined as a subject who needs high doses of insulin, recent history of hospitalization for diabetes-related complications, or poor wound health as evidenced by diabetic ulcers. Subjects who have been deemed healthy enough for abdominoplasty surgery would tend to suggest that their diabetes should not be an issue. However, if the subjects have diabetic complications as outlined above, they could affect the wound healing which is the object of this protocol so they would be excluded.
• Pregnant or nursing
• History of pathologically abnormal wound healing such as keloidal scars
• Existing tattoos on the abdomen that are so extensive that they could interfere with the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Fractionated Laser Resurfacing; At 14 days prior to scheduled surgery a 5x5cm square on the left abdomen within the region of skin to be excised and treated with fractionated laser resurfacing. Then at 7 days prior to scheduled surgery a 5 cm diameter circle on the right abdomen within the region of skin to be excised, at least 10 cm away from the square, is treated with fractionated laser resurfacing.

Device: Fractionated Laser Resurfacing; A rejuvenating laser that makes tiny holes in the very superficial part of the skin.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To test if the new fibroblasts that develop in response to fractionated laser resurfacing (FLR) wounding are derived from blood-derived monocytes.	Identify cells in the skin that have been wounded by FLR at 2 weeks and 1 week previously, for cells that co-express markers for both fibroblasts and monocytes by using single cell RNA-sequencing	2 weeks prior to skin removal and 1 week prior to skin removal
To test if possible cells transitioning from monocytes to fibroblasts are found in the top part of the dermis (papillary dermis).	Using tissue RNA-seq, PI will define if co-expressing cells are in the papillary dermis.	2 weeks prior to skin removal and 1 week prior to skin removal

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To define the number and types of cells populating the skin following fractionated laser resurfacing (FLR) wounding	Define the number and types of cells following FLR wounding at 2 weeks and 1 week prior to skin removal by using single-cell RNA-seq.	2 weeks prior to skin removal and 1 week prior to skin removal
To define the locations of the number of cells populating in the skin following fractionated laser resurfacing (FLR) wounding	Define the locations of the number cell following FLR wounding at 2 weeks and 1 week prior to skin removal by using tissue RNA-seq.	2 weeks prior to skin removal and 1 week prior to skin removal
To define the locations of the types of cells populating in the skin following fractionated laser resurfacing (FLR) wounding	Define the locations of the different cell types following FLR wounding at 2 weeks and 1 week prior to skin removal by using tissue RNA-seq.	2 weeks prior to skin removal and 1 week prior to skin removal

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wright State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Travers, MD, PhD, Wright State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 16, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 28, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): July 5, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 22, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 18, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2023-312

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes