title: Mesenchymal stem cells improve wound healing in vivo via early activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor.
abstract: We investigated the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on wound healing using a three-dimensional (3D) collagen gel scaffold. Three circular full-thickness skin defects were created on the back of Sprague-Dawley rats. One site was covered with a 3D collagen gel containing 2 × 10(6) MSCs (MSCs+/3D collagen+). Another site was replaced with a 3D collagen gel without MSCs and the third site was left empty. The wound size was significantly reduced in the MSCs+/3D collagen+ sites. MSCs+/3D collagen+ sites exhibited the most neovascularization. FISH showed that Y-chromosome possessing cells were found within the dermis of MSCs+/3D collagen+ sites. Gelatin zymography revealed that the most intense expression of MMP-9 was detected early in the MSCs+/3D collagen+ sites. Our results indicate that MSCs upregulate the early expression of MMP-9 which induces the early mobilization of VEGF. Thus, MSCs appear to accelerate significantly wound healing via early activation of MMP-9 and VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jang Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Moon Kyun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D003094:Collagen; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9