The wound-healing effect of 7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavone through increased levels of prostaglandin E by 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase inhibition.

Objective: To find an inhibitor of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) that rapidly metabolises Prostaglandin E (PGE) as a mediator of wound healing, we examined seven flavonoids for this role.

Results: 7,3',4'-Trimethoxyflavone (TMF) had the lowest IC value of 0.34 µM for 15-PGDH inhibition but >400 µM for cytotoxicity, indicating a high therapeutic index. TMF elevated PGE levels in a concentration-dependent manner in both A549 lung cancer and HaCaT cells. It also significantly increased mRNA expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4) and of prostaglandin transporter (PGT) slightly in HaCaT cells. In addition, TMF facilitated in vitro wound healing in a HaCaT scratch model, which was completely inhibited by adding both 15-PGDH and NAD as cofactor, confirming the involvement of PGE in its wound healing effect.

Conclusion: TMF with a high therapeutic index can facilitate wound healing through PGE elevation by 15-PGDH inhibition.