Characterization of Burn Eschar Pericytes

Pericytes are cells that reside adjacent to microvasculature and regulate vascular function. Pericytes gained great interest in the field of wound healing and regenerative medicine due to their multipotential fate and ability to enhance angiogenesis. In burn wounds, scarring and scar contractures are the major pathologic feature and cause loss of mobility. The present study investigated the influence of burn wound environment on pericytes during wound healing. Pericytes isolated from normal skin and tangentially excised burn eschar tissues were analyzed for differences in gene and protein expression using RNA-seq., immunocytochemistry, and ELISA analyses. RNA-seq identified 443 differentially expressed genes between normal- and burn eschar-derived pericytes. Whereas, comparing normal skin pericytes to normal skin fibroblasts identified 1021 distinct genes and comparing burn eschar pericytes to normal skin fibroblasts identified 2449 differential genes. Altogether, forkhead box E1 (FOXE1), a transcription factor, was identified as a unique marker for skin pericytes. Interestingly, FOXE1 levels were significantly elevated in burn eschar pericytes compared to normal. Additionally, burn wound pericytes showed increased expression of profibrotic genes periostin, fibronectin, and endosialin and a gain in contractile function, suggesting a contribution to scarring and fibrosis. Our findings suggest that the burn wound environment promotes pericytes to differentiate into a myofibroblast-like phenotype promoting scar formation and fibrosis.