title: Genome-wide expression analysis of wounded skin reveals novel genes involved in angiogenesis.
abstract: Wound healing is a multistage process involving collaborative efforts of different cell types and distinct cellular functions. Among others, the high metabolic activity at the wound site requires the formation and sprouting of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients for a successful healing process. Thus, a cutaneous wound healing model was established to identify new factors that are involved in vascular formation and remodeling in human skin after embryonic development. By analyzing global gene expression of skin biopsies obtained from wounded and unwounded skin, we identified a small set of genes that were highly significant differentially regulated in the course of wound healing. To initially investigate whether these genes might be involved in angiogenesis, we performed siRNA experiments and analyzed the knockdown phenotypes using a scratch wound assay which mimics cell migration and proliferation in vitro. The results revealed that a subset of these genes influence cell migration and proliferation in primary human endothelial cells (EC). Furthermore, histological analyses of skin biopsies showed that two of these genes, ALBIM2 and TMEM121, are colocalized with CD31, a well known EC marker. Taken together, we identified new genes involved in endothelial cell biology, which might be relevant to develop therapeutics not only for impaired wound healing but also for chronic inflammatory disorders and/or cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brönneke
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brückner
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Söhle
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siegner
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smuda
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stäb
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wenck
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kolbe
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grönniger
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Winnefeld
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010641:Phenotype; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D010100:Oxygen