Effects of Red Deer Antlers on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Full-thickness Rat Models

Abstract

The process of wound repair involves an ordered sequence of events such as overlapping biochemical and cellular events that, in the best of circumstances, result in the restoration of both the structural and functional integrity of the damaged tissue. An important event during wound healing is the contraction of newly formed connective tissues by fibroblasts. The polypeptide growth factors, like transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), play very important mediator roles in the process of wound contraction. Deer antlers, as models of mammalian regeneration, are cranial appendages that develop after birth as extensions of a permanent protuberance (pedicle) on the frontal bone. Antlers contain various growth factors which stimulate dermal fibroblast growth. They are involved in digestion and respiration and are necessary for normal wound healing and skin health. In order to investigate and evaluate the effects of red deer antlers on skin wound site, the speed of fullthickness skin wound healing and the expression of IGF-I, TGF-β, and EGF in skin wounds, three groups of skin full-thickness rat models with a high concentration of antler ointment, a low concentration of antler ointment and without antler ointment were compared. At post-injury days 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 20, 32, 40 and 60, the skin wound area was measured, the expressions of IGF-I, TGF-β, and EGF mRNA were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and collagen formation by sirius red dye and the localization of IGF-I, TGF-β, and EGF peptides were inspected by histological immunohistochemical techniques. Wound healing was significantly more rapid in antler treated skins. In addition, the wound treated with a high concentration antler ointment, a low concentration antler ointment, and the control closed completely at post-injury day 40, day 44 and day 60, respectively. Via RT-PCR, the expressions of IGF-I (day 8 and day 16), TGF-β (day 8, day 16 and day 20) and EGF (day 4, day 8, day 16, and day 32) were obviously up-regulated in high concentration antler-treated skins compared to control skins. Similar results could be seen in the histological detection of collagen dye and immunohistochemical methods using the corresponding polyclone antibodies of IGF-I, TGFβ, and EGF. These results illustrate that antlers stimulate and accelerate the repair of cutaneous wounds.

Anticancer activity in vitro and biological safety evaluation in vivo of Sika deer antler protein

“…So far, many investigations have shown the presence of mineral elements, polypeptides, proteins, amino acids, polysaccharides, and fatty acids in velvet antlers (Sui, Zhang, Huo, & Zhang, ). In addition, a number of studies have demonstrated that velvet antlers have diverse pharmacological effects, including tissue repair, treatment of bone‐resorption diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis (Gu et al, ). It not only prolongs the lifespan of tumor‐bearing mice (Cui et al, ), but also prevents cancer cell metastasis (Tang et al, ).…”

Red Deer Antler Extract Accelerates Hair Growth by Stimulating Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor I in Full-thickness Wound Healing Rat Model

“…The homogenate was centrifuged at 12,000 g for 30 min and the extracts were used for the ELISA assay (Gu et al, 2008). The ELISA analysis was performed using a commercially available kit (Human IGF-I Immunoassay, R&D Systems, USA) on tissues extracted and prepared using established protocols.…”

Aqueous Extract of Red Deer Antler Promotes Hair Growth by Regulating the Hair Cycle and Cell Proliferation in Hair Follicles

“…In addition, the proliferation effect of deer antler is studied recently [ 8 , 9 ]. Previously, our research group demonstrated the beneficial effect of deer antler on wound healing in a rat model [ 10 ]. In the same study, we coincidentally observed that deer antler extract seemed to have a stimulatory effect on hair regrowth.…”

“…Based on previous studies investigating the effect of deer antler on wound healing [ 10 ], we found that deer antler extract accelerated hair growth by enhanced IGF-1 expression in wound healing skin [ 13 ]. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the further molecular mechanism of deer antler aqueous extract on regulation of the hair cycle and hair follicle cell proliferation.…”