Wound Healing Potential of Spirulina Protein on CCD-986sk Cells

Abstract

Wound healing is a dynamic and complex process. The proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts are crucial for wound healing. Recent studies have indicated that the extracts from Spirulina platensis have a positive potential for wound healing. However, its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Our previous study showed that spirulina crude protein (SPCP) promoted the viability of human dermal fibroblast cell line (CCD-986sk cells). In this study, we further investigated the wound healing effect and corresponding mechanisms of SPCP on CCD-986sk cells. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay showed that SPCP promoted the proliferation of CCD-986sk cells. The wound healing assay showed that SPCP promoted the migration of CCD-986sk cells. Furthermore, cell cycle analysis demonstrated that SPCP promoted CCD-986sk cells to enter S and G2/M phases from G0/G1 phase. Western blot results showed that SPCP significantly upregulated the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4), and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (Cdk6), as well as inhibited the expression of CDK inhibitors p21 and p27 in CCD-986sk cells. In the meanwhile, SPCP promoted the phosphorylation and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt). However, the phosphorylation of Akt was significantly blocked by PI3K inhibitor (LY294002), which in turn reduced the SPCP-induced proliferation and migration of CCD-986sk cells. Therefore, the results presenting in this study suggested that SPCP can promote the proliferation and migration of CCD-986sk cells; the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway play a positive and important role in these processes.

Spirulina protein promotes skin wound repair in a mouse model of full-thickness dermal excisional wound

“…SPCP enhances wound repair via the Akt signaling pathway in C57BL/6 mice. According to previous results in ccd-986sk cells (28), it is known that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is involved in the SPcP-induced proliferation and migration of ccd-986sk cells. Thus, the effect of SPcP on the phosphorylation level of Akt were determined by western blot analysis in the present study.…”

“…Furthermore, SPcP was shown to improve collagen formation in ccd-986sk cells and to decrease the activity of elastase, which plays an important positive role in wound repair (27). In addition, the migration and proliferation of ccd-986sk cells have been shown to be promoted by SPcP via phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway (28). These effects of SPCP on human fibroblasts provide a possible application for promoting skin wound repair.…”

Photobiomodulation at 830 nm Stimulates Migration, Survival and Proliferation of Fibroblast Cells

“…35,36,42 Studies have shown that the migration and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts are essential to the formation of new tissue and remodeling in cutaneous wound healing. 43,44 The migration of fibroblasts and repopulation of cells at the wound site is an important step in wound healing, 45 and this is better understood using the central scratch assay. This assay allows for recolonization and monitoring of the scratched region to quantify cell migration.…”

Potential application of Spirulinain dermatology

“…Besides, it exhibits control over the cell cycle. It upregulates cyclin expression, proteins related to the process, while it downregulates p21 and p27 expression, that are cell cycle inhibitors 40 . Thus, the topical treatment with SPCP in mice with full‐thickness wound promoted a higher percentual of wound closure in 9 days compared with negative and positive controls.…”

“…Liu et al 40 observed that, in a human dermal fibroblast culture (CCD‐986sk), Spirulina crude protein (SPCP) stimulates cells to leave the G0/G1 phase to enter the S and G2/M phases, indicating cell proliferation. Besides, it exhibits control over the cell cycle.…”