MiR-10a and miR-181c regulate collagen type I generation in hypertrophic scars by targeting PAI-1 and uPA.

Urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have been proposed to play key roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in hypertrophic scars (HS). Here, we found that in HS fibroblasts (HFs) miR-181c and miR-10a were differentially-expressed and targeted uPA and PAI-1, respectively. The production of Type 1 collagen (Col1) was inhibited by miR-181c knockdown or miR-10a overexpression in HFs, and this resulted in increased levels of metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1).

MicroRNA-21 regulates hTERT via PTEN in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.

Background: As an important oncogenic miRNA, microRNA-21 (miR-21) is associated with various malignant diseases. However, the precise biological function of miR-21 and its molecular mechanism in hypertrophic scar fibroblast cells has not been fully elucidated.

Methodology/principal Findings: Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed significant upregulation of miR-21 in hypertrophic scar fibroblast cells compared with that in normal skin fibroblast cells.

Inhibition of Notch signaling leads to increased intracellular ROS by up-regulating Nox4 expression in primary HUVECs.

The essential roles of Notch pathway in angiogenesis have been reported for years. However, how Notch pathway plays its role in regulating endothelial cells remains largely unknown. In this study we found that blockade of Notch signaling with a γ-secretase inhibitor increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under both normaxic and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) conditions.

Insulin protects against damage to pulmonary endothelial tight junctions after thermal injury: relationship with zonula occludens-1, F-actin, and AKT activity.

Intensive insulin therapy during critical illness protects the endothelium and thereby prevents organ failure. This study tested the hypothesis that insulin directly affects the attenuation of burn injury-induced damage to pulmonary endothelial tight junction and investigated the underlying mechanisms. Sprague Dawley rats with severe burn injury were randomized to treatment with insulin dissolved in normal saline (maintenance of blood glucose at a level between 5.

[Effects of adipose-derived stem cells on renal injury in burn mice with sepsis].

Objective: To investigate the effect of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) on renal injury in mice with burn injury and sepsis and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: (1) Adipose tissue was collected from both inguinal regions of 5 C57BL/6J mice to isolate, culture and purify ADSC through enzyme digestion, density gradient centrifugation, and adherence method. Cells of the third passage were used in the experiment.

Protection against TGF-β1-induced fibrosis effects of IL-10 on dermal fibroblasts and its potential therapeutics for the reduction of skin scarring.

Scarring, tightly associated with fibrosis, is a significant symptomatic clinical problem. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) has been identified as a candidate scar-improving therapy based on preclinical studies. However, the molecular mechanism of IL-10 in scar improvement is still uncertain.

A potential skin substitute constructed with hEGF gene modified HaCaT cells for treatment of burn wounds in a rat model.

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using an immortal keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cells, to effectively deliver epidermal growth factor (EGF) in a skin substitute to treat burn wounds. The skin equivalent was constructed with human EGF (hEGF) gene modified HaCaT cells obtained through stable gene transfection; these were applied to full thickness burn wounds in a rat model. The results showed that the hEGF gene modified HaCaT cells produced more than 390ng/l of bioactive hEGF in the culture supernatant.

Overexpression of Notch ligand Dll1 in B16 melanoma cells leads to reduced tumor growth due to attenuated vascularization.

Notch signaling plays an important role in vascular development and tumor angiogenesis. It has been shown that disruption of Dll4-triggered Notch signal activation effectively inhibits tumor growth, but this treatment also results in the formation of vascular neoplasms. In this study, we investigate the effects of over-expressing Notch ligand Dll1 in B16 melanoma cells on tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo.

[Biological effects of paracrine from insulin stimulated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) on human vascular endothelial cells].

Objective: To study the biological effects of the paracrine from ADSC after being stimulated by insulin on vascular endothelial cells.

Methods: (1) ADSC was isolated from human adipose tissue and cultured in vitro. The third generation cells were collected and divided into insulin group (I, cultured with serum-free DMEM containing 1 x 10(-7) mol/L insulin) and control group (C, cultured with serum-free DMEM) according to the random number table, with 6 slots in each group.

Smad interacting protein 1 as a regulator of skin fibrosis in pathological scars.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are significant symptomatic clinical problems characterized by the excessive and abnormal deposition of collagen-based extracellular matrix (ECM) components. However, the molecular basis of keloid and hypertrophic scar formation has not been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that down-regulation of the transcription factor Smad interacting protein 1 (SIP1) could be relevant to keloid and hypertrophic scar formation.

[Effect of heat injured keratinocytes supernatant on biological behavior of fibroblasts].

Objective: To observe the effect of the supernatant of heat injured keratinocytes (KC) on biological behavior of the dermal fibroblasts (Fb).

Methods: Human dermal Fb were isolated and cultured. A model of heat injured KC (HaCaT) was reproduced in vitro.

[Effects of insulin on the growth factor secreting function of adipose-derived stem cells].

Objective: To study the effect of insulin in different concentrations on secretion function of growth factors of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs).

Methods: ADSCs were isolated from human abdominal adipose tissue and cultured. The immunophenotype and adipose induced-differentiation were identified, and the third generation cells were collected.

[The protective effect of intensive insulin treatment on the myocardium in severely scalded rats].

Objective: To study the protective effect of intensive insulin treatment on the myocardium of severely scalded rats, and to primarily explore its mechanism.

Methods: Eighteen SD rats were divided into three groups, with 6 rats in each group. The rats in burn and intensive insulin group were inflicted with 30% TBSA full-thickness injury on the back.