Effects of the novel compound DK223 on migration of human keratinocytes

Abstract

Wound healing plays an important role in protecting the human body from inflammation or infection. Cell migration and proliferation of keratinocytes is essential for proper wound healing. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that secondary compounds produced in certain plants could affect keratinocyte migration in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we identified a novel compound DK223 ([1E,2E-1,2-bis(6-methoxy-2H-chromen-3-yl)methylene]hydrazine) that induced human keratinocyte migration. We evaluated the regulation of migration-associated proteins, such as E-cadherin and vimentin, in human keratinocytes. DK223 up-regulated keratinocyte migration and significantly increased the epithelial marker E-cadherin in a time-dependent manner. We also found that reactive oxygen species(ROS) increased significantly in keratinocytes after 2 hours of DK223 exposure, returning to normal levels after 24 hours, whick indicated that DK223 had an early shock effect on ROS production. In conclusion, DK223 induced keratinocyte migration via ROS production, indicating a potential use for DK223 in the wound healing process.