Effects of Negative Pressure on Cell‐Cell Junctions and Cell Migration

Abstract

BackgroundNegative pressure wound therapy has been developed for treatment of chronic wounds. This study attempted to highlight effects of negative pressure of 125 mmHg on cell migration in wound healing process.MethodsA monolayer of Madin‐Darby Canine Kidney cells were grown in the chambered coverglass system. We created a scratching wound on the well with a pipette tip. Then the prepared traditional wound‐healing assays were harvested in a self‐constructed negative pressure incubator at ambient pressure and negative pressure 125 mmHg for three hours separately. Immunocytochemical stain of cells vitality, tight junctions and actins were performed later.FindingsNo differences of cell viabilities between cells cultured at ambient pressure and negative pressure of 125 mmHg. While compared with cells at ambient pressure, nearly total loss of tight junction fluorescent intensities and lamellipodium together with filopodia could be identified in cells treated with negative pressure.InterpretationLoosening of cell‐cell junctions may induce actin assembly to enhance cell migration at negative pressure of 125 mmHg.