Effect of alprostadil on wound healing of scalded rats and the mechanism

Abstract

Objective: To explore effect of alprostadil on wound healing of scalded rats and the mechanism. Methods: According to random number table method, forty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were divided into sham scald group, simple scald group, lithium chloride group, and alprostadil group, with 12 rats in each group. Rats in sham injury group were sham injured on the back, and rats in the other three groups were inflicted with 30% total body surface area deep partial thickness scald on the back.Immediately after scald, rats in sham scald group and simple scald group were injected with 1 mL saline through caudal vein, and rats in lithium chloride group and alprostadil group were injected respectively with 1 mL lithium chloride and alprostadil through caudal vein. Saline, lithium chloride, and alprostadil were injected once in a day and lasted for 14 days. General wound appearance and wound healing rate on post scald day (PSD) 7, 10, 14 were observed and calculated. Expressions of protein and mRNA of Wnt1 and β-catenin on PSD 14 were detected. Data were processed with analysis of variance of factorial design, one-way analysis of variance, Student Newman Keuls q test, t test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: (1) On PSD 7, wounds of scalded rats in each group formed dry eschar and had little exudation. On PSD 10, wounds of rats in simple scald group were covered with eschar, with little exudation, and wounds of rats in lithium chloride group were covered with eschar, and partial wounds healed under the eschar. On PSD 10, partial eschar of rats in alprostadil group desquamated; partial wounds healed; newly burned skin was ruddy. On PSD 14, partial wounds of rats in simple scald group were healed under eschar with little exudation. On PSD 14, most of the eschar of rats in lithium chloride group were desquamated with patial wounds healed and little exudation. On PSD 14, wounds of rats in alprostadil group were basically healed with vigorously growing hair on the back. (2) On PSD 7, the wound healing rates of rats in simple scald group, lithium chloride group, and alprostadil group were close (F=0.41, P>0.05). On PSD 10 and 14, wound healing rate of rats in lithium chloride group and alprostadil group were significantly higher than that in simple scald group (q=5.73, 17.45, 26.30, 11.28, P<0.05), and wound healing rate of rats in alprostadil group was significantly higher than that in lithium chloride group (q=32.03, 28.73, P<0.05). (3) On PSD 14, the mRNA expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin of rats in lithium chloride group and alprostadil group were significantly higher than those in simple scald group (q=65.40, 19.16, 66.79, 18.41, P<0.05), and the mRNA expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin of rats in simple scald group was significantly higher than those in sham scald group (t=14.86, 4.46, P<0.05). (4) On PSD 14, the protein expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin of rats in lithium chloride group and alprostadil group were 0.98±0.05, 0.98±0.06, 0.97±0.06, and 1.00±0.06, which were significantly higher than 0.49±0.04 and 0.66±0.04 of rats in simple scald group (q=34.62, 22.38, 33.61, 23.47, P<0.05). On PSD 14, the protein expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin of rats in simple scald group was significantly higher than 0.29±0.03 and 0.31±0.03 of rats in sham scald group (q=14.73, 23.88, P<0.05). Conclusions: Alprostadil can accelerate wound healing through activating Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway and upregulating the expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin.