To investigate the effects of porcine acellular dermal matrix (ADM) on the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway in mouse hair follicle regeneration.

Fresh pig skin was taken for dermal matrix, and after decellularization treatment was sterilized, sealed, and stored at room temperature for later use. Eighteen full-thickness skin defect models of C57BL/6 mice were made with the spine as the midline, 6 mm diameter defects were made on the left and right sides. Left and right sides were covered with gauze and porcine ADM, respectively. The gauze side dressing changed the next day, but the porcine ADM side did nothing. On the 7th day after the model was established, according to different materials, it was divided into gauze group and porcine ADM group, and then according to the different parts taken divided into gauze window group, porcine ADM window group, gauze wound group, porcine ADM wound group, gauze wound edge group and porcine ADM wound edge group. Tissue of nine mice were taken for Western blotting test protein expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β), Wnt3a, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), stromalcell derived factor-1(SDF-1), fibroblast growth factor2(FGF2), fibroblast growth factor9(FGF9), AKT. The others were taken for immunohistochemistry for detection of Wnt3a, SDF-1, FGF2, FGF9.Data comparisons were performed using independent sample t test.

In the 7th day wound of mice, Western blotting showed that the protein expression levels of β-catenin, Wnt3a, SDF-1 were higher in porcine ADM window group(0.533±0.058, 0.446±0.039, 0.972±0.048) than the gauze window group (0.401±0.005, 0.132±0.022, 0.175±0.036), and the differences were statistically significant (t=3.996, 12.230, 23.130; with P values below 0.05). The protein expression levels of β-catenin, Wnt3a, SDF-1 were higher in the porcine ADM wound group(0.557±0.009, 0.626±0.066, 0.868±0.102) than in the gauze wound group (0.302±0.010, 0.109±0.019, 0.036±0.009), and the differences were statistically significant (t=32.830, 13.020, 14.130; with P values below 0.05). And the protein expression levels of Wnt3a, SDF-1 in the porcine ADM wound margin group(0.419±0.014, 0.370±0.069) were higher than those in the gauze margin group(0.115±0.020, 0.056±0.007), and the differences were statistically significant (t=21.460, 7.825; with P values below 0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that Wnt3a, SDF-1, FGF2 and FGF9 in the porcine ADM group were higher than those in the gauze group, and the positive cells were mainly distributed around hair follicle cells.

In the wound repair process, porcine ADM may promotes the regeneration of hair follicles by up-regulating the expression of SDF-1 and Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Wounds and injuries; Hair follicle; Swine; Mice; Acellular dermal matrix; Stromal cell-derived factor-1; Wnt3a/beta-catenin signaling pathway