Effect of microtubule-associated protein-4 on epidermal cell migration under different oxygen concentrations

After skin trauma, regional epidermal cell migration mediates the re-epithelialization of the wound surface, which is an important step for wound healing, yet the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism is unclear. In the current study, HaCaT cells were maintained under different oxygen concentrations (1%, 21%, 40% and 65%). Technologies including immunofluorescence staining, wound scratch, transwell invasion, western blot and low-expression lentiviral vector were utilized to observe the changes in microtubule dynamics and the microtubule-associated protein (MAP)4 expression. MAP4's effect on cell migration under different oxygen concentrations was also studied. The results showed that under hyperoxic (40% and 65%) and hypoxic (1%) conditions, HaCaT cells were able to regulate cell microtubule dynamics by MAP4, thus promoting cell migration. On the other hand, MAP4 silencing through targeted shRNA attenuated HaCaT cell migration under the above oxygen concentrations. These results imply that MAP4 plays an important role in epidermal cell migration under different oxygen concentrations.