title: Sonic hedgehog increases the skin wound-healing ability of mouse embryonic stem cells through the microRNA 200 family.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To use stem cell therapy effectively, it is important to enhance the therapeutic potential of stem cells with soluble factors. Although sonic hedgehog (shh) is important in maintaining the stem cell, the recovery effect of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) with shh has not yet been elucidated. The present study investigated the effect of mESCs with shh in skin recovery in vivo as well as the related intracellular signal pathways in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The healing effect of mESCs with shh on skin wounds was examined in vivo in ICR mice. The involvement of Smads, the microRNA (miR)-200 family, zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox (ZEBs) and E-cadherin on shh-induced mESC migration and self-renewal was determined in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mESCs with shh increased re-epithelialization and VEGF expression in skin wounds. Shh-treated mESCs increased both secreted and intracellular levels of VEGF. Shh induced dephosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β through the Smoothened receptor and increased the phosphorylation of Smad1 and Smad2/3 in mESCs. Shh-induced decrease of the mmu-miR-141, -200c, -200a, -200b and -429 expression levels was significantly reversed by Smad4 siRNA. Shh increased nuclear expression of ZEB1/ZEB2 and decreased E-cadherin expression while increasing cell migration and skin wound healing. Both these effects were reversed by mmu-miR-141 and -200b mimics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mouse ESCs accelerated skin wound healing by shh through down-regulating E-cadherin, an effect dependent on mmu-miR-141 and -200b. Our data provides evidence for the effectiveness of shh in stem cell-based therapy in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Han Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Ho Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; C543719:Mirn200 microRNA, mouse