Bioactive peptide HX-12C enhances fibroblast function through TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and promotes wound healing...

Closure of skin wounds is essential for resistance to pathogens. Collagen synthesis dominated by fibroblasts, re-epithelialization driven by keratinocytes, and angiogenesis governed by vascular endothelial cell lumen formation all play crucial roles in wound healing. Our previous study revealed that the small peptide HX-12C modified from the antimicrobial peptide Temporin had favorable antimicrobial activity and that a hydrogel complex containing HX-12C accelerates the healing of infected wounds. Here, we demonstrated that HX-12C promoted the proliferation, migration and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts, the proliferation of keratinocytes and the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells in vitro, and accelerated the healing of mice skin wounds in vivo. Moreover, we found that HX-12C activated collagen synthesis in fibroblasts early by activating the TGF-β/Smad signaling axis. Thus, we suggested that HX-12C is a promising candidate for clinical application with therapeutic potential to promote wound healing.