Keratinocyte-releasable factors increased the expression of MMP1 and MMP3 in co-cultured fibroblasts under both 2D and 3D culture conditions.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key elements in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and scar remodeling during the wound-healing process. Our previous data revealed that keratinocyte-releasable factors significantly increased the expression of fibroblast MMPs in monolayer-cultured fibroblasts. In this study, we analyzed the differences in the MMP expressions of fibroblasts in a three-dimensional fibroblast-populated collagen gel (3D FPCG) from that in a two-dimensional monolayer-cultured fibroblasts when both co-cultured with keratinocytes. Differential mRNA and protein expression of fibroblasts were examined by microarray, RT-PCR, and western blot. Our results showed that fibroblasts co-cultured with keratinocytes in a 3D FPCG expressed significantly higher MMP1 and MMP3 at the gene and protein levels. Due to the physiological advantages of a 3D FPCG model to a 2D system, we concluded that the 3D FPCG model may provide a better means of understanding the fibroblast-keratinocyte cross-talk during the wound-healing process.
Li
Min
M
BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn and Wound Healing Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Jack Bell Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 351-2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada.
Moeen Rezakhanlou
Alireza
A
Chavez-Munoz
Claudia
C
Lai
Amy
A
Ghahary
Aziz
A
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000201:enzymology*; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003094:Collagen; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1