The repairing role of phycocyanin from Spirulina in chronic refractory wound healing and mechanism analysis

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of cyano-phycocyanin (C-PC) to improve the efficiency of chronic refractory wound healing processes. The hormone induced chronic refractory skin ulcer model were established on the backs of mice. Assessment of wound-healing efficiency of C-PC was evaluated by analyzing total wound closure, recovery percentage and epidermal thickness of wounds. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to evaluate the re-epithelialization, inflammatory response, granulation tissue formation and fibrotic tissue formation. Differentially expressed genes were identified through RNA-seq, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array and confirmed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Cell viability was determined using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, migration and angiogenesis were detected by wound healing and tube formation assays. The related protein expression was analyzed by Western blot. The results demonstrated a significantly higher wound-healing rate in C-PC group compared to the control group at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days (p< 0.05). The mechanism may involve increased collagen accumulation, promotion of angiogenesis and reduction in the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Additionally, VEGFR-2 was highly likely to be the target for C-PC. Thus, C-PC may hold potential for the treatment of wound healing and ischemic/ reperfusion injuries.