Increased Level of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors by 4-hexylresorcinol is Mediated by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Accelerates Capillary Regeneration in the Burns in Diabetic Animals

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 21; no. 10; p. 3473
• Main Authors: Kim, Dae-Won, Jo, You-Young, Garagiola, Umberto, Choi, Je-Yong, Kang, Yei-Jin, Oh, Ji-Hyeon, Kim, Seong-Gon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14.05.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: 4-hexylresorcinol; Angiogenesis; Animals; Apoptosis; Burns; Burns - complications; Burns - drug therapy; Burns - genetics; Burns - pathology; Cytokines; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - genetics; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelial cells; Growth factors; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Humans; HUVEC; Hypotheses; Hypoxia-inducible factors; Macrophages; Macrophages - metabolism; Organic compounds; Permeability; Proteins; Rats; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I - genetics; Resorcinol; Resorcinols - pharmacology; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - pharmacology; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects; siRNA; TGF-β1; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - genetics; Transforming growth factor-b1; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Ulcers; Umbilical vein; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C - genetics; Wound healing; Wound Healing - drug effects; HUVEC; TGF-β1; diabetes mellitus; 4-hexylresorcinol; angiogenesis
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103473

4-Hexyl resorcinol (4HR) is an organic compound and has been used in skin care application. 4HR is an M2-type macrophage activator and elevates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression via the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-independent pathway. As endothelial cells are important in wound healing, the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 4HR, and changes in VEGF-A, -C, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression were investigated. The administration of 4HR increased the expression level of VEGF-A, -C, and TGF-β1. The application of TGF-β1 protein also increased the expression level of VEGF-A and -C. Knockdown with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting to TGF-β1 and the selective chemical inhibition (A83-01) to ALK5 confirmed the involvement of the TGF-β signaling pathway in the 4-HR-mediated VEGFs expression. 4HR application in a burn model of diabetic rats demonstrated an increased level of angiogenic proteins with wound healing. Compared to sericin application, the 4HR application group showed more prominent capillary regeneration. Collectively, 4HR activated TGF-β1/ALK5/VEGFs signaling in endothelial cells and induced vascular regeneration and remodeling for wound healing.