A new study from Arizona State University has redefined the role of a key protein. Elevated levels of the SerpinB3 protein in the blood have long been considered a warning sign of aggressive cancer or severe inflammation by doctors. However, this study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals for the first time that this "cancer protein" is actually a natural "repair master" evolved by the human body, playing a central driving role in skin wound healing.

Serpin B3, also known as squamous cell carcinoma antigen-1, has been an important biomarker for nearly fifty years in clinical diagnosis of the invasiveness and poor prognosis of malignant tumors such as lung cancer, liver cancer, and skin cancer since its discovery in cervical cancer tissue in 1977. This protein is highly expressed in various cancer tissues and is associated with low patient survival rates. Therefore, its presence in blood tests often indicates a serious health challenge.

However, its normal physiological function has remained a mystery. A research team at Arizona State University, while studying bioactive materials for tissue repair, unexpectedly discovered the crucial role of SerpinB3. They observed that when skin is damaged, cells migrating to the wound produce large amounts of this protein. "This made us realize that it is a mechanism evolved by the human body to repair epithelial damage," the researchers noted. "And cancer cells may simply be 'stealing' this ancient repair procedure to promote their own spread."

By tracking gene activation during wound healing, the research team discovered that Serpin B3 levels rise sharply in damaged skin. In the laboratory, additional Serpin B3 significantly promoted the migration of keratinocytes, enabling them to cover the wound area more quickly, with effects comparable to those of the well-known "repair accelerator"—epidermal growth factor.

Its core repair mechanism has two aspects: First, SerpinB3 can activate keratinocytes at the wound edge, reduce intercellular adhesion, and enhance their mobility, enabling them to rapidly migrate and cover the wound surface. This process is similar to the "epithelial-mesenchymal transition" phenomenon common in wound healing and cancer metastasis. Second, in animal experiments, after treatment with SerpinB3, wounds not only closed faster, but the collagen fibers of the newly formed skin were also arranged more orderly, which helps to restore the strength and integrity of the skin.