Insulin gel in the treatment of excisional lesions in hyperglycemic mice and the relation to hair follicular growth

• Grant number: 21/00781-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2021
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Medical-Surgical Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Maria Helena de Melo Lima
• Grantee: Maria Helena de Melo Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Enfermagem. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Gary G Adams

Abstract

Hair follicles are a source of stem cells, characterized by the ability to renew and to originate different cell lines. In homeostatic conditions, they perform renewal of the hair. However, when the skin is injured, they demonstrate great plasticity and give rise to other cell types, contributing to healing. After applying insulin gel in lesions of hyperglycemic mice, macroscopically and microscopically increased hair at the site was observed. Therefore, it is postulated that insulin stimulates hair follicle stem cells through crosstalk with the Wnt/²-catenin signalling pathway, promoting hair augmentation and tissue repair. Objective: To investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in hair follicle growth in hyperglycemic mice after having lesions treated with insulin gel. Materials and Methods: Hyperglycemia will be induced with streptozotocin in C57BL/6 mice. They will be divided into two groups: Control (CTRL), treated with placebo gel and insulin-treated group (INS). The tissues will be extracted on the 7th, 14th and 25th days after injury. They will be evaluated by: 1. Morphometry of lesions; 2. Histology (hematoxylin & eosin); 3. Analysis of collagen fibbers by PicroSirius; 4. Analysis of cell proliferation with 5-bromine-20-deoxyuridine; 5. Analysis of ²-catenin, IRS-1 and 2, KRT15 and CD34 in the hair follicle immunohistochemistry; 6. Expression analysis of ²-catenin, anti-Wnt3a, anti-Wnt-4, anti-Wnt5a, dishevelled 2, frizzled7, LEF1, ALP and GSK-3² by Western Blot; and 7. Expression analysis of Wnt-3a, ²-catenin, Dvl-1, glycogen synthase kinase 3² (GSK-3²), LEF-1 and Axin-2 by PCR. Statistical analyses will be performed using the t-Student test (p<0.05). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AZEVEDO, FLAVIA FIGUEIREDO; CANTARUTTI, THIAGO ANSELMO; ROSA REMIRO, PAULA DE FREITAS; BARBIERI, BEATRIZ; AZOUBEL, RAFAEL ABBOUD; TANIGUCHI NAGAHARA, MARIANA HARUE; MORAES, ANGELA MARIA; MELO LIMA, MARIA HELENA. Histological and Molecular Evidence of the Positive Performance of Glycerol-Plasticized Chitosan-Alginate Membranes on Skin Lesions of Hyperglycemic Mice. POLYMERS, v. 14, n. 21, p. 16-pg., 2022-11-01. (18/05237-2, 21/00781-9)

PRADO, THAIS P.; ZANCHETTA, FLAVIA CRISTINA; BARBIERI, BEATRIZ; APARECIDO, CAROLINE; LIMA, MARIA HELENA MELO; ARAUJO, ELIANA P.. Photobiomodulation with Blue Light on Wound Healing: A Scoping Review. LIFE-BASEL, v. 13, n. 2, p. 25-pg., 2023-02-01. (21/00781-9, 13/07607-8)