Thymosin β4 has a major role in dermal burn wound healing that involves actin cytoskeletal remodelling via heat-shock protein 70.
Rapid vascular remodelling of damaged dermal tissue is required to heal burn wounds. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a growth factor that has been shown to promote angiogenesis and dermal wound repair. However, the underlying mechanisms based on Tβ4 function have not yet been fully investigated. In the present study, we investigated how Tβ4 improves dermal burn wound healing via actin cytoskeletal remodelling and the action of heat-shock proteins (HSPs), which are a vital set of chaperone proteins that respond to heat shock. Our in vitro results achieved with the use of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) revealed a possible signal between Tβ4 and HSP70. Moreover, we confirmed that remodelling of filamentous actin (F-actin) was regulated by Tβ4-induced HSP70 in HUVECs. Based on these in vitro results, we confirmed the healing effects of Tβ4 in an adapted dermal burn wound in vivo model. Tβ4 improved wound-healing markers, such as wound closure and vascularization. Moreover, Tβ4 maintained the long-term expression of HSP70, which is associated with F-actin regulation during the wound-healing period. These results suggest that an association between Tβ4 and HSP70 is responsible for the healing of burn wounds, and that this association may regulate F-actin remodelling. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-156, Republic of Korea.
Sokho
S
Kim
Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-156, Republic of Korea.
Jungkee
J
Kwon
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008954:Models, Biological; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013947:Thymosin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
D015415:Biomarkers; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D013947:Thymosin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
HSP70; burn wound; cytoskeletal remodelling; filamentous actin; thymosin β4; vascularization