Bioflavonoid Galangin Suppresses Hypertrophic Scar Formation by the TGF- β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Zha Ru; Ying Hu; Shenghua Huang; Li Bai; Kun Zhang; Yue Li

doi:10.1155/2021/2444839

Bioflavonoid Galangin Suppresses Hypertrophic Scar Formation by the TGF- β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Sep 4:2021:2444839. doi: 10.1155/2021/2444839. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Zha Ru¹, Ying Hu¹, Shenghua Huang¹, Li Bai¹, Kun Zhang², Yue Li²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plastic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
² Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.

Abstract

Background: Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a benign fibroproliferative skin disease resulting from an aberrant wound healing process and can cause aesthetic and functional damage to patients. Currently, there is no ideal treatment to treat this disease. Galangin, a natural active bioflavonoid compound, is suggested to inhibit fibrosis and proliferation in certain cells.

Methods: In this study, we found Galangin could attenuate abnormal scar formation in an HS rabbit ear model. Additionally, the HE staining shows Galangin reduced scar elevation index (SEI) and Masson's trichrome staining changed collagen deposition.

Results: The expressions of type I collagen, type III collagen, and TGF-β1 were much lower under a proper dose of Galangin treatment, and Smad7 expression was also enhanced, which are examined by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blot.

Conclusion: Our data indicated that Galangin can alleviate dermal scarring via the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway probably by upregulating Smad 7 expression and, thus, suppressing the expression of type I and type III collagens and TGF-β1.