Abstract
The naturally occurring compound apigenin has many biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and anticancer effects. Although hypertrophic scar formation is a common surgical complication, there is still no good treatment for it. In the present study, we examined the effect of apigenin on hypertrophic scar. After isolating fibroblasts from human hypertrophic scars, we assess the effects of apigenin on fibroblast cell survival, apoptosis and migration. The results showed that apigenin dose-dependently inhibited the growth and migration of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. By inhibiting FAK kinase activity and FAK phosphorylation, apigenin also inhibited activation of the FAK signaling pathway. Apigenin thus appears to inhibit the growth and migration of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by inhibiting FAK signaling. This suggests apigenin could potentially provide a new option for the treatment of hypertrophic scars.
Highlights
The clinical manifestations of hypertrophic scars share many of the characteristics of tumors, including invasion of the undamaged dermis, no clear dividing line between the scar and normal skin, infiltrative growth, long-term sustainability without spontaneous disappearance, and a high recurrence rate after surgery [1]
Cell clone formation and modified tetrazolium salt-3-(4-5 dimethylthiozol-2yl)-25diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were performed to assess the inhibitory effect of apigenin on the growth of HSFs and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs)
The results showed that apigenin inhibited the cell survival of both HSFs and HKFs in a concentration-dependent manner (Figure 1A–1B)
Summary
The clinical manifestations of hypertrophic scars share many of the characteristics of tumors, including invasion of the undamaged dermis, no clear dividing line between the scar and normal skin, infiltrative growth, long-term sustainability without spontaneous disappearance, and a high recurrence rate after surgery [1]. Some tumors are familial and manifested though autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance. Hypertrophic scars exhibit a certain familial genetic tendency and clustering, which is consistent with autosomal dominant hereditary diseases. There are a wide variety of non-operative treatments for hypertrophic scars, which can be divided into physical therapies and drug treatments [2, 3]. Drugs for the treatment of scars are mainly adrenal cortical hormones and antitumor drugs [4]. Because these drugs have obvious adverse side effects, their clinical application is limited. There is a need for an effective drug treatment for hypertrophic scar that has fewer adverse effects
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
