Effect of keratinocyte growth factor-2 on proliferation of human adult keratinocytes

To investigate the proliferative effect of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF-2) on human adult keratinocytes.

The standard medium was keratinocyte growth medium without bovine pituitary extract (BPE), hydrocortisone or epidermal growth factor (EGF). Keratinocytes from a 48-year-old subject were cultured and seeded on dishes with standard medium of EGF in cell density of 2 x 10(4)/32 mm(2). After 24 hours, the medium was replaced by the standard medium with 0, 4, 16, 125 and 500 ng/ml KGF-2, respectively. The standard medium with EGF was used as the positive control and the standard medium without EGF or KGF-2 was used as the negative controls. The growth of keratinocytes was monitored by 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5 dipheyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and by photographs on days 3, 5 and 7, respectively.

KGF-2 in concentrations of 4-500 ng/ml showed a significant proliferative effect on days 5 and 7 as compared with that of the negative controls (P < 0.01). On day 3 the cells were proliferated to 1.5-2.5-fold, on day 5 to 3-5-fold and on day 7 to 3-12-fold in KGF-2 medium as that of the negative controls. The optimal response occurred when the concentration of KGF-2 was 125 ng/ml on day 7. Cell proliferation was also consistently higher in all KGF-2 concentrations as compared with that of the positive controls.

KGF-2 has significant effects on the proliferation of adult keratinocytes, which are more effective than that of EGF. This study supports KGF-2 can improve the healing of chronic wounds in adults in clinic.