Topical ABT-263 treatment reduces aged skin senescence and improves subsequent wound healing

Topical ABT-263 treatment reduces aged skin senescence and improves subsequent wound healing

''Original study'': PMID 39630941 / Aging (Albany NY), published 2024-12-03.

''Exact intervention'': aged (24-month-old) mouse dorsal skin received ''topical'' ABT-263 (navitoclax) for ''5 days''; the paper reports ''5 μM ABT-263'' versus ''DMSO vehicle'' control. Young (2-month-old) mice were treated similarly as a non-aged comparator.

''Core readouts'':
- whole-skin ''p16'' and ''p21'' gene expression;
- ''SA-β-gal'' positive cells;
- ''p21+'' cells;
- acute inflammatory response / macrophage infiltration;
- bulk RNA-seq wound-healing pathways;
- subsequent wound closure / healing acceleration.

''Observed direction'': ABT-263 reduced p16/p21, SA-β-gal+, and p21+ cells in aged skin, but also induced transient inflammation and macrophage recruitment; pretreatment improved later wound closure.

''Comparability note'': this is a localized topical route, so any comparison with OSK should match or explicitly stratify by ''route / exposure mode'', not only tissue and endpoint.