Scar-reducing effects of gambogenic acid on skin wounds in rabbit ears

Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a dermal fibroproliferative disease that often occurs following abnormal wound healing. To date, there is no satisfied treatment strategies for improvement of scar formation with few side effects. The effects of gambogenic acid (GNA) on scar hypertrophy has not been studied previously. The present study was undertaken to find out the scar-reducing effects of GNA (0.48, 0.96 or 1.92 mg/ml) on skin wounds in rabbit ears. Scar evaluation index (SEI), collagen I (Col1) and collagen III (Col3), microvascular density (MVD), CD4+T cells and macrophages, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), phospho-VEGFR 2 (p-VEGFR2) and p-FGFR1, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in scar tissue were detected using various methods, respectively. Our data showed that GNA significantly reduced SEI, and the expression of Col1 and Col3 in scar tissue in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, it decreased MVD, the infiltration of CD4+T cells and macrophages, and the levels of VEGFR2, p-VEGFR2, FGFR1, p-FGFR1, TGF-β1, CTGF, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, in addition to upregulated IL-10 in scar tissue. As a result, this study revealed that GNA reduced HS formation, which was associated with the inhibition of neoangiogenesis, local inflammatory response and growth factor expression in scar tissue during wound healing. These findings suggested that GNA may be considered as a preventive and therapeutic candidate for HS.