[Effect of Simiao Yong'an Decoction on the Expression of Wnt/p-catenin Signaling Pathway in Diabetic Ulcer Model...

Objective To observe the changes of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in diabetic ulcer (DU) model rats and to study the effect of Simiao Yong'an Decoction (SYD) on it. Methods Totally 51 female Wistar rats were divided into the normal control group (n =17) and the diabetes mellitus (DM) group (n =34) according to random digit table. Rats in the normal control group were fed with common forage. Those in the DM group were prepared for DM model by high fat high glucose forage +intrap- eritoneal injection of low-dose Streptozotocin (STZ). Successfully modeled rats were then randomly divided into the DU group and the DU-SYD group, 15 in each group. Fifteen rats were randomly selected from the normal control group, and then divided into the ulcer control group (CU). Rats in the DU-SYD group were administered with SYD by gastrogavage. Rats in the CU group and the DU group were administered with normal saline by gastrogavage. The conditions of wound healing were observed, histomorphological changes of the wound tissues were observed by HE staining at day 3, 7, and 14, respectively. Protein and mRNA expressions of p-catenin, GSK-3β, and Rspo-3 in wound tissues were detected by ELISA and RT-PCR. Results The wound healing rate was sequenced from high to low as Group CU, Group DU- SYD, Group DU at day 3, 7, and 14, respectively (P <0. 05). Compared with CU group, protein contents and mRNA expressions of β-catenin and Rspo-3 in wound tissues decreased, protein contents and mR- NA expressions of GSK-3β increased in the DU group at day 3, 7, and 14, respectively (P <0. 05). Compared with the DU group, protein contents and mRNA expressions of β-catenin in wound tissues increased, protein contents and mRNA expressions of GSK-3β decreased in the DU-SYD group at day 3, 7, and 14, respectively (P<0. 05). There was no significant difference in protein contents or mRNA ex- pressions of Rspo-3 between the DU group and the DU-SYD group (P >0. 05). Conclusions Down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway might result in difficult healing of UC. SYD could promote the healing of DU possibly by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.